God of Fire
by sailorpluto1709
Summary: Charlotte "Charlie" is a twenty-something archaeologist with a seriously powerful family. Due to some unfortunate twist of fate (and a psychotic ex), she ends up on Asgard for safety. In an even more interesting twist, Loki is proclaimed her bodyguard to further his search for redemption. This story is about truth, redemption, trickery, and the difference of fire and ice. Loki/OC
1. Goodbyes

**A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to an interesting experiment. This idea came to me literally overnight and I want to see if it will actually go somewhere. So feel free to criticize, give me ideas, and share your love for any of the characters! I rely on all the feedback I get! (And if it is criticism, please be courteous and at least be constructive!) I hope you enjoy!**

**Also, this fic is loosely based off of "Avengers' Tower" written by steve-capsicle-rogers. You don't need to read that story to understand what is going on, I promise. I just love the background of that story and I'm using it as a launching pad for this. If you would like to read that story, go here: s/8347201/1/Avengers-Tower**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or "Avengers' Tower." I simply own Charlotte and the plot.**

I suppose you could say that my life has never been quite easy. I mean, not with the family I've got. But, hey, when you've got a bunch of superheroes as your family, is normal really a part of the equation?

No. No it isn't.

I try to remember this as I hold the letter in my hand. The one that is going to completely change everything. Well, already has changed everything.

I mean, it is technically all my fault. I just had to fall for the crazy psycho who is bent on world domination. Not to mention that he has the start-up capitol to actually be successful in this endeavor. All he needs is me. Dad is royally pissed. So is Pops and, well, everyone else. I'm more pissed than all of them. I mean, I'm the one who has to completely uproot her life, abandon all of her research, and move to a freaking alien planet to make sure the psycho doesn't get his hands on me.

I can't help but sit here before Uncle Thor comes to get me and re-read the letter for the umpteenth time. It takes all of my willpower not to set the damn thing on fire. It's pretty straight forward: generic threat of the city's population, list of demands (well, namely the one thing which is me), and the reassurance of said plans not being carried out if given in to the demands. Moron. Did he really think my family would give in to his demands? My family is not the type to give in. Especially my pops.

Speaking of…

"Hey, sweetie. What are you thinking about so intently?"

I look up from the letter and stare at Papa. He hasn't changed much from when he was pulled from the ice. A little more tired, I guess. But I really wouldn't be able to tell the difference from a few years ago like the rest of my family could. He has blonde hair cut military short, big blue eyes, some of the bluest I've ever seen, over six feet tall, and can still bench press a small car if necessary. Being a member of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers has helped to keep his figure. Not that the serum doesn't do the majority of the work, but it at least gives him something to do.

Dad trails behind him, the glow from the arc reactor lighting the way in the dimly lit room. Whereas Papa is the typical blonde-haired, blue-eyed northern European bloodline, Dad is the exact opposite. I used to call them the ying-yang when I was younger just to piss them off. Not that it actually worked, but still. His black hair is sticking up in all directions, meaning he has been down in his lab trying to work on his new energy project. Probably as a distraction from what's going on with me. His brown eyes take in everything: the dark room, the letter in my hand, the bags packed by the door. Dad has always had a way of knowing what's going on in any given situation without needing much more input.

I sometimes wonder how these two are even able to get along. One is Captain America, the Golden Boy with the strong reserve and deeply set morals; the soldier out of time with the big heart and his stand-up-to-bullies attitude. Then there is Iron Man: snarky, sarcastic, better with robots than people attitude, and oftentimes royal pain in the ass. For all intents and purposes, these two shouldn't work. But they do. Maybe it's the whole opposites attract thing? I don't know. But I thank god every day that they do. Otherwise I wouldn't have a family now.

I sigh as they both sit on either side of me on the bed. "What do you think, Papa?" I look over at him and all he can do is stare back at me. Papa and I have the type of relationship where we don't have to verbalize everything. We just get it. Dad and I have yelling bouts. That doesn't mean to say that I love my Papa more than my Dad, it just means we communicate to each other differently. However, even with this, I think Dad knows what is going through my head.

"JARVIS, how long until Thor is scheduled to pick her up?"

"20 minutes, sir," says the smooth voice of the AI I've grown up with. JARVIS has always been more of my nanny than any actual caretaker that has tried their hand at the job. I'm going to miss hearing his voice.

"This is bullshit," I say, breaking the silence. I stand up and start pacing the floor of my bedroom. "Why is it that I have to do this? I have so much going on right now! I'm on the verge of a breakthrough with my research in Norway and this has to freaking happen? I don't want to go to Asgard! Lord only knows how long I'll be there and by the time I get back, I may lose everything!" I look back at both of them with rage simmering in my heart. "Why are you making me do this?"

"Sweetie, you know we are doing this to keep you safe."

"Safe? Safe from what? He's not going to hurt me! He said so in this stupid letter!" I shake the letter at them before throwing it in their general direction before I do actually set it on fire. "And besides, it's not like I can't protect myself! I've only been trained by some of the best fighters in the world for the majority of my life!"

"Charlie, that's not the point and you know it." Dad stands up and comes to a stop in front of me. He places his hands on my shoulders and looks me directly in the eye. "We're sending you to Asgard to keep you safe. We've failed to protect you in the past when this sort of thing has happened. You may be older and can protect yourself more successfully now, but we are _not_ taking the chance of that happening again. Do you understand?"

I deflate at the pure pain in his eyes and nod. I _do_ understand. I just wish he would stop beating himself up for something that wasn't his fault. "This just royally sucks, Dad."

He gives me his half-smile and gives me a hug. "I know it does. But if we have anything to say about it, you won't be gone for too long. Besides, with my tech, it shouldn't take long to find the bastard and then we can destroy him. Easy peasy."

"Please say that's a promise. I don't think I can handle it if I'm gone from my work for longer than a month."

"Be careful, sweetie," Papa says, coming over to the two of us so I can wrap myself into his arms. "You're starting to sound like your father."

"Le gasp!" I whisper in mock fright. My dad's workaholic tendencies are well known throughout the Tower. My dad gives a short "hey!" in retaliation. I grin for the first time all day. "Hey, where's Peter? I wanted to give him a good-bye hug before I left."

Pops pulls away as a third person walks into the room carrying what looks suspiciously like a giant cookie. He is tall, almost as tall as Pops with brown hair and brown eyes. He's in his thirties but he doesn't look a day older than 23. You can attribute his freaky anti-aging features and physical dexterity to a radioactive spider that bit him when he was a teenager. With it came a physical transformation that is only rivaled by our Pops. Except, instead of becoming freakishly strong (even though that was one of the gifts), he received many powers that resemble that of a spider. He is known as Spiderman by the public. But to me he is Peter, the goofy genius who is my older brother.

When he was fourteen, his aunt and uncle who were his legal guardians at the time, died at the hand of a random shooting. Peter was adopted by Dad a few months later because of Peter's submission for a new clean energy project for a Stark Industries scholarship. The winner got to meet with _the_ Tony Stark and they kind of hit it off. Dad didn't want Peter to get lost in the system and decided the best course of action would be to adopt him and have him come live with him at the Tower with the rest of our crazy family. The rest is history.

I roll my eyes at him and move forward and take a giant bite out of the cookie. He pouts at me before engulfing me in a giant hug. "I'm gonna miss you, brat."

"I'm not a brat, jerk." This is our usual exchange. After I was adopted, he took to calling me brat and being the snarky little thing that I was, I just called him jerk in response. Let's just say, it stuck. "And besides, I won't be gone that long if Dad has anything to do with it. So don't get too comfortable."

"Aw, man. And to think, I was going to have the movie room all to myself."

I punch him on the shoulder before grinning up at him. "You have to share that room with five superheroes, three teenagers, and your kids, Peter. Trust me, you won't be getting it all to yourself."

"Sir, Thor will be arriving in five minutes."

I sigh and look over at my bags sitting by the door. Guess it's now or never. Dad and Pops both take a bag (Pops the heavier bag of course) and Peter takes my arm. We go up the lift to the roof of the Tower. The city's lights shine out over the pre-dawn. The sky is just now starting to light with the coming dawn. The rest of the family is waiting when we step out of the lift. Aunt 'Tasha is standing with her back to the city, arms crossed across her chest. She may not be an active member of S.H.I.E.L.D. anymore but she is the one who has trained me since the day I stepped into the Tower. She's been my role model and one of my best friends. Her flaming red hair hangs loose around her shoulders. Uncle Clint is standing next to her standing in a similar position. I'm pretty sure I got his sense of humor more than anyone else. Both of them are retired from active duty but they both become active when the Avengers are called and have remained on as advisors. And they can still kick anyone's ass. Uncle Bruce's glasses reflect the lights from the city. He stands a few paces behind Aunt 'Tasha. I spent a lot of my time in his lab growing up. Between him and Dad, I was always exposed to some sort of lab experiment. I think they were trying to nurture a scientific brain in me. Unfortunately, it didn't work. I was always more like Pops in that regard.

A bright rush of energy and light signal the arrival of my Uncle Thor. He walks out of the bifrost, golden hair and red cape flowing behind him from the winds the rainbow bridge had caused. He still looks magnificent as he always has. He engulfs me (literally) in a bear hug. I was always his favorite. Probably because I begged him to tell me as much about Asgard when I was a kid until I he took me to visit when I was eight. I've always been fascinated by it and the discrepancies between actual Asgardian history and the mythologies that evolved over the years here on earth.

"Good morning, little one," he whispers in my ear. I've been "little one" for as long as I can remember. He knows my name is Charlie, but I don't think he has ever actually called me by that name. I don't mind. He lets go after a moment and greets the rest of his fellow warriors. I smile slightly and turn to everyone else. I go to Aunt 'Tasha first.

"Remember your fighting skills. Asgardians value warriors and you have those skills. If you have to stay for a long time, that is how you will gain respect. Just keep yourself safe." I nod in understanding before attacking her with a hug. Her tough disposition leaves in an instant. She is tough inside and outside, but not when it comes to us. She kisses the side of my head and pushes me towards Uncle Clint.

"Be safe, kiddo. And if you come across Thor's brother, put an arrow in him for me." I smile and nod. While I've never met Loki myself, Uncle Clint's (and well, everyone else too) dislike of him is legendary. Not that I can blame him. I would be pissed if someone rooted around in my head too. I give him a hug too and a promise to keep practicing with the bow. He only just recently taught me how to use one. I'm a really shitty shot though.

I walk over to Uncle Bruce who just gives me his characteristic small smile. He's always had a special place in my heart since I was little. I give him a hug as well. "Be safe. We'll get you home soon," he whispers in my ear. I nod and let go.

I walk back over to my parents and Uncle Thor. Peter breaks off half of the cookie and gives it to me. I smile before taking a large bite. I break off half of it and give it to Uncle Thor as he was eyeing it out of the corner of his eye. He smiles and kisses my cheek as thanks. I munch on my half while looking at my parents. "I guess this is good-bye for now."

"Yup." Dad comes and gives me one more hug. I feel the arc reactor humming against my chest. When he pulls away I put my hand over it.

"Make sure to take care of this, okay? I don't want to come back to find my Dad was an idiot and didn't keep an extra close by during battle."

"Yes, ma'am." He smirks at me and moves aside so my Papa can give me one last hug.

"I know you're nervous. You don't have to say it out loud, but you are." I look up into his blue eyes and allow my carefully won mask leave my face. I only allow my mask to fall when I'm around my family. Only they can see the real me. And right now, the real me is scared. Very scared. I'm just glad that my Papa knows without me having to say it out loud. Probably because I've been calling him Papa instead of Pops. That is my usual indicator of nerves. "I don't want you to be scared, okay? Just be yourself. Everyone there already loves you from your last visit, remember?"

"But, Papa, I was eight. I barely remember that trip. I'm twenty-four now. Some things have changed."

"Not everything." He kisses my forehead and lets go. "Now go have an adventure." Before he walks completely back to Dad and Peter he turns back and looks at me. "One more thing: be careful around Loki. I know Thor has said that he's different than when we last saw him, but just be careful, okay?"

I roll my eyes at him. "I know, Pops. I've heard all of your stories about him. And my specialty is mythology. I know enough about him to be completely wary of the guy."

He smiles. "Good. Now go." He turns and walks back to my Dad, wrapping his arms around his chest. I smile and turn around to Uncle Thor. He finishes speaking with everyone and walks over to me, my bags in tow.

"Ready, little one?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." I relieve him of one of my bags and step closer. I don't really remember how this goes. Uncle Thor just makes it seem like he's walking.

Hoisting my duffel bag onto his back, he spreads his extra arm towards me. I walk into his outstretched arm. "Hold onto me." I wrap my arm around his torso and look up. He is also looking up into the sky. "Heimdall, whenever you're ready." I look back towards my family gathered on the roof and realize this will be the last time I see them for maybe a long while. Tears spring to my eyes as I whisper I final farewell as the bright lights engulf me and I'm whisked through the stars towards a whole new world.


	2. Welcome to Asgard

**A/N: Well, here's chapter 2. Loki will probably make an appearance next chapter. Let me know what you all think! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers. I only own Charlotte and this plot.**

Welcome to Asgard

A few seconds later we walk onto the golden floor of the bifrost. Well, Uncle Thor walks across. I kind of stumble my way to the raised portion in the middle. I wonder if Aunt Jane ever got used to this? Granted, this is technically my second time using the bifrost, so I suppose it's alright that I'm not that graceful.

I glance up at the large figure standing atop the platform. I remember him from when I last came to visit. Covered head to toe in golden armor, only his hands and his face show through. His piercing golden eyes look down at me before he breaks into a small smile. "Welcome back to Asgard."

I smile in return. "Thank you, Heimdall." I stand up fully and look around me before putting all of my focus back on him. "I see you haven't changed a bit."

"And you have changed much from when we last saw each other." He slowly walks down the steps until he is standing right in front of me. I'm only as tall as his shoulder, but still a dramatic difference from when I was eight. He doesn't seem nearly as big now. "It is unfortunate that this meeting is caused from such unfortunate events."

"I agree completely," I respond. I take a much more thorough look around the bifrost. My eyes take in the architecture of the building but fall on the starry backdrop of the stars. "Are the stars still faring well?"

"The stars shine on," he answers in that deep voice. I look back at Uncle Thor and realize there are other people near the opposite opening. Oops. I give one last smile to Heimdall before turning around and joining Uncle Thor. My eyes immediately land on Aunt Jane and I give her a relieved smile. She comes over and gives me a hug.

"It's been so long, Charlie! How are you?"

"Not terrible, given everything that is going on." I give her a small squeeze before letting go. She holds on to my hands as she looks me over. It's been almost ten years since she last came to earth. I was fourteen. When I was growing up, Aunt Jane was basically my mother. There is nothing wrong with having two dads for parents, but a girl sometimes just needs a woman to answer some questions. Aunt Jane was that role model for me. After she married Uncle Thor, she moved permanently here on Asgard. Her visits became fewer and far between as time went on until they stopped altogether. It's not like she doesn't have a good reason for not visiting.

"Charlie!"

Faster than I can process, two growths attach themselves to my legs. Their momentum causes me to lose my balance and the only reason why I didn't fall over is because of my Uncle keeping hold of my shoulders. His deep laugh resounds through the building in response to the higher pitched giggling that is emitting from the growths.

"Modi! Magni! Is that any way to greet your cousin?" Aunt Jane asks, hands on her hips.

I laugh and wrap my arms around both of them in turn. "It's fine, Aunt Jane. After all, I haven't seen them in a year. How are you two brats doing?"

They look up at me with playful little smiles. Modi and Magni are both twelve years old. Aunt Jane tried to balance her lives on Earth and Asgard but after the twins were born, it became too difficult. So she decided to just stay here and continue her research here. Every few years, the boys come to earth to visit with their father when he is summoned. Something about exposing them to different cultures. I always ended up watching them. While they are twelve, their growth is stunted a little bit. Being children of a mortal and a semi-immortal, they age slower than humans, but faster than the average Asgardian. However, they will live far longer than my poor brain can comprehend.

Modi, the elder of the two, looks just like Uncle Thor: long blonde hair, blue eyes, and the stockiness that comes with being a warrior. Magni looks more like Jane: brown hair, brown eyes, but just as stocky as his brother. Oddly enough, their personalities are more the opposite. Modi has the analytical mind. Basically, if something is happening, you just have to corner Modi because he is the brains behind the operation. Magni, while also very smart, lets his emotions do most of the thinking. He is more of the act first ask questions later type. They are a devastating team when they want to pull a prank or feel the need for revenge.

"We're so glad you're here, Charlie."

"Yeah, we have so many ideas that you can help us with."

"Why do I get the feeling that I should be very afraid of your ideas," I ask, attempting to get them to let go so I can stand normally. They finally let go but refuse to let go of my hands. Looks like someone else is going to have to carry my bags.

"Well, we did learn from the best," Modi says with a cheeky grin.

I smirk in response. I was not a good influence on these boys when it comes to their playfulness. Whenever they would come to visit, they would try to prank me but they always failed because I could outsmart them. Besides, their mischievous ways are known by everyone so I knew to keep my eyes on them. Unfortunately, they stole some of my ideas and used them against people here, at least that's what Uncle Thor has told me.

"Well, let's go get you settled in," Aunt Jane says, walking outside where some guards and horses are waiting to take us. I help the boys up onto their horse and turn back to grab my bags. Uncle Thor is already strapping my clothes bag onto one of the horses. Another guard is strapping my other bag onto the back of Uncle Thor's horse. I feel bad for the poor creature. That's my book bag. That's why it's heavier. Add Uncle Thor and it's going to be a heavy ride.

If it weren't for my time in Norway, I wouldn't know how to ride a horse. Some of the dig sites can only be reached by horse, so I've had plenty of experience. I absolutely adore horses because of it. If it weren't for the fact that my permanent address is in New York, I would definitely have many horses.

The ride across the rainbow bridge and into the palace is a distracting one. I forgot how beautiful this world is. I swear the palace and the majority of the city is made of pure gold. The sun shining makes the city glow, giving it a golden aura. No wonder ancients thought this place was the home of the gods. Not to mention the palace itself could probably house the city of Manhattan with little problem. The ride only takes a few minutes before we are all dismounting and handing the horses over to some stable hands. I help the boys down and try and take my bags from one of our many escorts. He refuses to hand it over though. Before I can complain too loudly, Modi steals my attention by grabbing my hand and dragging me inside. Magni is holding both of his parents' hands as they lead us through to the private wing of the palace. I remember this place well.

"You'll be staying in the room next to ours, Charlie," says Jane, pointing out the doorway at the end. "The one across from ours is the boys' room. The room at the end of the hallway belongs to Odin and Frigga. You'll be seeing them right before dinner. We wanted to give you enough time to settle in and get some rest before presenting you to everyone."

"Presenting me to everyone?" I ask, a small note of panic in my voice. I've never liked being in the spot light. Again, I'm more like Pops in that regard. Whereas my dad almost thrives on the attention that he gets in the media, Pops and I do not. We've always been more uncomfortable when we become the focus of attention. Pops can handle himself just fine though. I have never quite honed that skill. That's why I chose to be in a field where I can present my findings in written format instead of at a convention or something.

Uncle Thor comes over to me and clasps my shoulder. "Do not worry, little one. This is simply where you will be formally introduced to my mother and father and to the royal guard. It's just a formality."

"And then after is the feast!" Magni pipes up. "That's the best part."

"Anything involving food is the best part to you," Jane says, pinching his cheek as we continue walking towards my room. Turning back to me, she gives me a reassuring smile. "You don't have to worry about saying anything. Thor and I will be the ones to speak. You just have to stand there and look pretty, which will be easy for you."

I roll my eyes at her in response. Well, at least I get the rest of the day to panic over this. Great.

"Hey, Uncle Thor? Who's room does that belong to?" I ask, noticing the door right across from mine. The door is massive, similar to all the other doors, covered in gold with green Celtic knots adorning it along the edges. All of the doors have these embellishments, just with different colors.

"That would be my brother's room," he says, eyeing the door with some level of caution. "Don't worry. He spends most of his time with our mother and in the library studying."

"I wasn't worried," I respond petulantly. Well, at least not a lot.

"Hey, Charlie, look," Magni commands. He's standing in front of his and his brother's door. I didn't notice him run off. He places his hand on the door and the colors around the door start to morph. It was originally gold and turquoise in color. As I watch, the gold becomes more bronze and the turquoise morphs to orange.

"That is so cool! How did you do that?"

"The doors change color based on our favorite colors," Modi responds. "All you really have to do is put your hand on the door and it responds. It also changes the color scheme of the room inside! It's a spell Grandmother placed on them years ago."

"It was really just to keep my easily bored children busy," says a new voice behind us. I turn to watch a very regal woman walking towards us. I smile. I remember this woman very well. Lady Frigga. Her long blonde hair is pinned back from her face but allowed to flow down her back. She has soft lines around her eyes indicating her age, but her brilliant smile makes her seem so much younger. She is wearing a casual blue dress with an armor plate covering her chest. She opens her arms when she is about ten paces away and I immediately run to her to receive a hug. "My, you have grown since I last saw you!" She separates herself only to cup my face. "You have grown to be a lovely young woman."

"And you have remained as beautiful as ever, Lady Frigga." I can't help but to smile in her presence. When I came to visit when I was eight, Lady Frigga was the one who kept an eye on me when Uncle Thor and Aunt Jane were unable to. She was the one who taught me the stories and legends of Asgard and showed me magic. If I had to pinpoint when I became interested in stories and myths which later led to my career, it would always be when I was eight with Lady Frigga.

"Mother, I wasn't expecting to see you until tonight," Uncle Thor says before kissing her fondly on the cheek.

"Yes, well, I decided that would be too long of a wait to see one of my prized students," she retorts, smiling at me again. "And I wanted to make sure everything was perfect in her room."

"I'm sure it will be," I say.

"Charlie! Come over and see your room! You'll love it!" Magni shouts.

"Yes! Go see your room, dear," Frigga agrees, ushering me towards the door. I place my hand on the door and watch as the colors change. It remains gold but with dark blue embellishments along the knots this time. The boys "ooooh" over the door. I push open the door and take a step inside. The room is massive.

"Wow," I whisper as I look at the room. The boys run off into the room as I continue to take it all in. I have half a floor on the Tower back home but this is at least twice as large as the entire floor. The ceiling is at least fifty feet up. Massive golden columns break up the space in four places that also have the dark blue colored embellishments on the door. The far wall is completely covered in books all the way up to the ceiling. There is a dark wooden ladder leaning against it so I can reach the top shelf. A fireplace is centered in the wall with two overstuffed couches facing it. There is a desk off to the side made from the same wood that the ladder is. The four-poster bed is centered against the opposite wall. The bed is massive, bigger than any bed I've ever seen. At least twenty people can sleep on it comfortably. Two stands sit on each side of the bed with lights for night reading. A chest sits at the base of the bed.

I walk forward to the double doors covered in translucent blue drapes. I open the doors and step out onto the balcony which looks out to the ocean. The view is breathtaking. Two white covered chairs rest by the doors with matching stands next to them. Lady Frigga walks up next to me and rests her hands on the stone railing. "It is a lovely view, is it not?" she says.

"Oh yes."

"I thought of how much you loved to watch the stars at night when you were little. Wait until you see it with only the moons as your light."

I smile. "You always did seem to know what I would like."

"Well, you're not much different from my other son, dear. You both share the same interests and talents—Oh don't give me that look, it's a compliment. Anyway, why don't you go see the rest of your room?"

"There's more?" I turn around and walk back into the room. Sure enough, against the wall beside the nearest nightstand is a door. Upon opening the door I can do nothing but stop and gape in wonder. Frigga and Jane both laugh at my expression. "This cannot be my closet." I walk inside. Yes, walk inside. It's a very large room. Frigga follows me inside as I pass my hands across fine silk dresses and lace covered tops. There has to be at least a thousand different pieces in here!

"I supplied your closet with as many clothes as you may need for your stay," Lady Frigga says, walking along behind me. "There are dresses of many occasions, pants and tops for casual wear, and I have supplied you with armor for your training sessions, if you choose to train, that is."

"You really didn't need to go through so much trouble, Lady Frigga." I walk to the back of the closet, taking everything in. There are swords and knives adorning this wall of many shapes and sizes. Probably so I can strap them where they need to go as I dress. I turn around and face my mentor again.

"It was no trouble at all, dear. Besides, between you and Jane, I can finally spoil the daughters I never had," she says with a small smile. "Come, let me show you the final room and then we will allow you to rest."

I take her hand as she leads me out of the closet and towards the wall of books. I'm still marveling at how many are there. Another door, one I didn't notice before, opens up into a bathroom. A tub—more like small pool—rests in the center of the room. A sink and mirror lie against one of the walls and the other is full of towels of various sizes. Everything is gleaming marble.

We walk back out to the center of the bedroom, still hand-in-hand. The boys are sitting on the couches, remaining relatively quiet. Uncle Thor and Aunt Jane are sitting on the bed, waiting expectantly for my reaction, my bags resting at their feet. "This is more than I ever expected. Or needed." I look over at Frigga. "Thank you. For everything."

"Of course, dear. Anything you need, anything at all, do not hesitate to ask."

I nod. Uncle Thor and Aunt Jane rise and each hug me in turn. "Come on, boys," Aunt Jane calls to Modi and Magni. "Let's give Charlie some time to settle and get some rest." She turns back to me. "If you need anything, I'll be in our room. Just come on over."

With a promise that I will, I watch as they all leave except for Uncle Thor. He turns to me and kisses the top of my head. "Jane will be by when it is time to get you ready for the presentation. That will occur at sundown. Try and get some rest until then."

"But, Uncle, with all of these new books, how can I possibly think of sleeping?"

He smiles and starts walking towards the door. "Read in bed then!"

I laugh and say farewell at the door. I take one final look outside my room. This place is too amazing to be real. I look across the hallway at the sound of a thud. I could have sworn I saw the door move. But nobody went in and nobody went out. Maybe I do need some sleep. Shrugging to myself, I close the door. I pick up my bag and take care of my clothes in the mall of a closet while also changing into some comfortable sleeping pants and a t-shirt. I'll take care of the books later. For now, I set the bag against the desk. My exhaustion is starting to make itself known. I didn't sleep at all the night before. I was more worried about moving to Asgard for the foreseeable future to be able to sleep. I take one look at that massive bed and swan dive into it. Reading and everything else can wait until later.

I'm out two minutes later.


	3. Ceremony

**A/N: Another chapter for you! Warning you all now, I don't typically write this quickly. The only reason why I am now is because it's finals week and, of course, now my brain is on creative overdrive. So enjoy the quick updates while they last!**

**And yes, Loki finally makes an appearance in this chapter! Again, let me know what you all think! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Still do not own.**

Ceremony

Blissfully, I slept dreamlessly. However, my form of awakening was not a peaceful one. Rather than an alarm, or a friendly nudge on the shoulder, I get loud shouts of "Charlie!" and jumping on the bed from two hyper active children. I groan in response and roll onto my stomach. I happen to bump into one of the boys and attempt to push him away. It doesn't work. He just jumps on my back instead.

"Come on, Charlie! You need to wake up!"

"I don't wanna!" I whine, burying my head deeper into the pillows. "You can't make me!"

It suddenly gets very still and quiet. That is never a good sign. I quiet my breathing and still my movements so I can listen to every little sound in the room. I think I know what they are about to do, but I refuse to let them succeed. I move my arms so they are placed hands down on the bed right in front of my chest, readying my body to spring into action. Five seconds later a war-cry is emitted from my left while the blanket is ripped off of me. Before they can grab my ankle in an attempt to pull me off the bed, I bound up, rolling into a standing position. I grab Magni by the arm and manage to get Modi into a headlock. Their cries of anger and frustration ring throughout the room while I laugh at their antics.

"Did you really think you could beat me?" I ask, getting Magni into a headlock as well. I flop down into a sitting position on the bed, forcing both the boys down with me. "I was the one who showed you two that trick. Did you honestly think I would let you use it on me?"

"It was worth a shot!"

"Yeah!"

I roll my eyes before giving each of them a noogie. "You both are going to have to get a little bit more creative in order to beat me. No use in using all of my old tricks." I let them go and they scramble off the bed. Before they leave the room they turn and stick their tongues out at me. I respond in kind. I laugh as they run out the door, probably to their mom. I look out the window and notice that the sun is starting to make its descent and decide I should probably bathe and start getting ready.

The bathtub is already full and steaming when I enter the room. I look around a little warily before firmly shutting the door. I'm going to assume one of the boys ran it, or maybe Jane. I'll have to talk to her about that. If there are servants running my bath water now, I want to at least be warned when they come into my room. No need for me accidentally attacking a poor maid simply because she was doing her job.

A half hour later and I'm wrapped in a large fluffy towel while drying out my auburn hair with another. I have absolutely no idea what I am going to do with it. Should I just keep it down or put it up? And what the hell am I supposed to wear at this type of thing? I know it's supposed to be a gown (I'm not that much of an idiot), but how formal should it be?

I wrap a towel around me and walk out of the bathroom to find a gown has already been laid out across the newly-made bed. Okay, whoever my servants are, they are fast. And quiet. Before I can contemplate on this too much, there is a knock on the door. "Uhh, who is it?" I can't exactly open the door… I'm kind of naked.

"It's Jane!" comes the muffled reply.

"Oh. Come on in!" I walk over to the dress as Aunt Jane comes through the door and shuts it just as quickly. The dress is absolutely beautiful. It's a deep blue color, darker than the color of my walls, with silver dots speckling across it to mimic the night sky. It feels like water on my skin. Aunt Jane walks over while I am busy admiring the dress.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she says, taking the forgotten towel from my hands and finishing drying my hair.

"There is absolutely no way I can possibly wear this," I respond, still looking at it. I'm almost afraid to touch it.

"You're not going to destroy it, if that's what you're thinking. It's quite durable." She walks into my closet and comes back out carrying a robe. I turn my back and put it on while she continues talking. "Most of these outfits are made in case a battle is to break out. While it is peaceful here, Asgardians are usually prepared for anything."

"Still," I say, turning back around once the robe is secured, "there is no way I can do that dress justice."

"Oh, shush." Aunt Jane grabs my arm and walks me over to a vanity sitting by the door. Before I know it, my hair is up in an intricate bun with soft ringlets flowing down to frame my face. I don't know how she was able to tame my usual curl so successfully, but I've come to think Aunt Jane is magical or something. She also has placed some silver star ornaments in my hair to match the dress. I decide the less makeup I wear, the better. I simply put on some eyeliner and mascara to make my green eyes look a little bigger than they actually are. A light pink lip gloss is added and that's all the time I am spending on makeup.

I walk into my closet to put on some undergarments before trying the dress. I look at the wall of weaponry and decide that a small knife attached to my arm couldn't hurt. I don't usually go anywhere unarmed anyway. After I strap the dagger into place, I put on the slip and walk back out so Aunt Jane can help me put on the intricate gown. She doesn't comment on the blade. The dress ends up being two parts: the first is something that you would find on earth. The bodice is strapless and is buttoned up the back. The skirt is very flowy, but not poofy, thank god. The bodice is almost completely covered in the silver gems and fades off into the skirt. The second portion is placed over my chest. It cuts across my chest, leaving my shoulders bare, but gives me sleeves that go all the way to my wrists. The sleeves have their own train which reaches all the way to the hem of the skirt. It is secured in place at the base of the bodice with some fabric. This piece allows me to use my hands while also looking sophisticated and regal as hell. It also hides the knife perfectly, which is why it is even there to begin with.

I slide on some dark blue flats and walk over to the vanity to place a simple star pendant around my neck. I take a step back and look at my reflection. It is absolutely gorgeous. It's just weird seeing my face attached to such an outfit. It's not really me. But, if I am to meet the king and the royal guard, I suppose I have to leave an impression.

Aunt Jane is smiling behind me and I turn to look at her. She is wearing the colors of Thor: Red and silver. Her dress is not as fancy as mine, but I think that is only because she is already well known here. Her dress also doesn't have the fancy top portion. The dress is a deep red with silver circles adorning it. She wears silver arm bands on her forearms and a silver necklace that suspiciously looks like a hammer. She kept her hair down around her face. She is as lovely as ever.

I glance behind her and notice the light is starting to fade fast. She notices as well. "Well," she starts, hooking her arm in mine and leading us to the door, "let's get this over with."

I laugh. "My sentiments exactly."

When we step outside, Uncle Thor is there. He is wearing his full warrior outfit which hasn't changed at all since he first landed in New Mexico. The only thing that is different is the cape: instead of flowing around behind him, it is wrapped more securely around him. I've noticed that he started wearing it like that not long after the twins were born. I can imagine them constantly tugging on it just to annoy their father.

His eyes widen in delight upon seeing us both. "You both look absolutely wonderful," he compliments, kissing my forehead and then sweeping in for a kiss with Aunt Jane. I roll my eyes and turn away.

"Hey, Uncle Thor. Where are the twins?"

"With my mother," he responds, coming over to me and taking both my arm and Aunt Jane's. "Mother decided it would be best to try and keep them occupied before they tried to destroy something."

"Your mother is very wise," I chuckle. I can see Aunt Jane nodding on the other side of Uncle Thor. We walk down the long hallway in silence for a few moments before I break it once more. "So, what exactly is going to happen?"

"Nothing too dramatic," Uncle Thor says, looking at me. "Jane and I are simply to introduce you to my father as my personal guest. In exchange, he will bestow the protection of our family on to you, which is why the royal guard must be there. It is nothing more than a formality really."

"They're basically just showing you off," pipes up Aunt Jane. I blush and look away. I'm having a hard time keeping my nerves from flying off the handle.

"In this dress? Obviously," I respond. "Do I have to do anything? Like bow or something like that? He is the king and all.."

"No, that is not necessary. As you are of Midgard and not Asgard, bowing before a king that does not rule over you is redundant. All you need do is bow your head when we announce your name. It shows the king that you recognize him as the leader of this realm and will uphold his laws and customs while you are here. Do you understand, little one?"

"Yes." I sound a little too breathy for my liking. Shaking my head, I pull on the mask that I have developed over the years, first under Aunt 'Tasha's teachings and then under my own experiences. I refuse to let anyone in that room know that I am basically shaking in my boots, figuratively speaking. "So, how many people are going to be there?"

I sense Aunt Jane is laughing at me. I know she knows that I am nervous. Uncle Thor smiles as well. "Not too many."

We come to a stop outside two of the biggest doors I have ever laid eyes on. A design mimicking that of the very palace we stand in is etched in to the doors in vivid color. What remains of the sunlight shine in behind us in golden waves. Uncle Thor lets go of both mine and Jane's arms. I turn to look at them both, making sure to keep my mask firmly in place. Aunt Jane just smiles at me in a reassuring manner. Uncle Thor, on the other hand, kisses the top of my head. "You'll do fine, little one. Just remember that the man you will meet is the king. He will appear more strict now before everyone. You will get the chance to meet my father later."

"Ha. As if _that_ is going to help with my nerves."

He just laughs as the final rays of sunshine fade from behind us. With their passing, the two doors open wide to allow us passage through to the throne room ahead. Aunt Jane stands on my left while Uncle Thor is on my right, both a couple paces ahead of me. We walk forward and I am proud to say my legs are still under me. However, once I get a glimpse of how many people are actually in the room, I'm not sure how long that will last.

"'Not too many people,' he says," I whisper to myself. Seriously? There are, like, hundreds of people in here! If not thousands! How is this not a lot of people? Aunt Jane giggles quietly next to me. She obviously heard me.

"This is nothing," she whispers in my ear. "You should have seen the amount of people that showed up for our wedding. Thor believes the entire kingdom was there."

It takes all of my willpower not to openly gape at her. There is absolutely no way I could have lived through that. None. As it stands, I'm having a hard time walking with all of these eyes on me. All I want to do is climb under the floor and never come back out. However, I refuse to let anyone see my discomfort. I keep my head up and my eyes forward, face a neutral mask. I see the throne at the end of the room with who can only be King Odin sitting upon it. Whereas Lady Frigga is warm and welcoming, I do not get that same feeling from this man. This is a man who has seen war and is able to rule with an iron fist. I am told he is a wise king, but I guess I shall have to make that decision for myself. He is a little off-putting at the moment.

I see Lady Frigga standing on his right-hand side wearing a gown similar to mine, only yellow. Her hair is done up in a fancy way, but still all that hair is trailing down her back. She smiles at me as we come closer to the dais. I smile in return, letting her know that I'm okay. The twins are standing beside her, wearing armor similar to that of Thor's, only purple for Modi and a blue for Magni. They were actually sitting still for once. If it weren't for the occasion, I would be more suspicious of them.

There is another man standing beside Lady Frigga. I've never seen him before. He is thinner than Uncle Thor but that should not be an indicator of his lack of strength. He has black hair that flows just past his shoulders, prominent cheekbones and very green eyes. His armor matches his coloring: green and black. His hands rest at his sides as he watches us walk closer to the dais. His eyes shine with intelligence, calculating us as we move. His eyes sweep over all of us: respect when he sees Jane, disdain when he sees Thor. Our eyes meet briefly, but all that is there is indifference.

He must be Loki.

On the left-hand side of Odin is Lady Sif and the Warriors Three, as my Uncle likes to call them. I met them all the last time I visited, but never really got to know them too well. I was eight. They were a little intimidating back then. I did like Lady Sif though. I thought she was the coolest thing in the world because she was a woman who could lay any man on their back. They all give me a small nod and smile as well.

We come to a stop in front of the throne. Well, I come to a stop. Both Aunt Jane and Uncle Thor take a knee in front of the dais. I suddenly feel awkward being the only one who does not kneel. So, I stand there like an idiot staring up at the king of Asgard, not quite knowing what to do. '_Nod to the king,'_ a voice in the back of my head says. I comply. I get a nod in return. Giving a quiet sigh of relief (and thanking the voice in the back of my head that is still able to think), I relax a little. I think my portion of this whole thing is over. I stand with my hands clasped in front of me waiting for something to happen.

"You may rise," the king says, speaking to Aunt Jane and Uncle Thor. As they do I take a closer look at him. While Lady Frigga appears to retain some of her youth, her king does not. He is looking weary. I can see his white hair peeking out from his helmet. The lines on his face are very deep and his eyes look very old. I wonder for how much longer he will be able to remain on the throne.

"Who is this that you bring to my realm?" he asks of Uncle Thor. I keep my eyes on the king while my uncle speaks. It is clear that he is assessing me and I am by no means going to fail any test this man may be giving me.

"This is Charlotte Emma Rogers-Stark, Father. Daughter of Tony Stark and Captain Steve Rogers. She is here seeking asylum from a man who wishes to cause her harm. As her parents are dear friends of mine, they wished for her to come here, as far from the threat as possible to keep her safe."

"Why would they come to you? There are other places upon her realm where she could be hidden."

With a sudden jolt I realize that this is not just a formality. If it was, that question would never have been asked. I actually need the king to approve of me staying here. And apparently my parents being good friends with his son is not a good enough reason for me to remain on Asgard. He could send me home right now if he wanted to.

Eyes a little wider than before, I listen to my Uncle speak and pray that he can convince his father to let me stay. "While there are many areas of Midgard where Charlotte could hide, her adversary is a formidable one. He would find her easily and cause her harm. As she is like a daughter to me, I wish to prevent such harm from coming to her. Asgard was the only solution to keeping her safe."

The king's silence stretches on for longer than I like. Finally, he rises from his throne and proceeds down the steps. "Very well." Aunt Jane and Uncle Thor both move aside and allow the king to stand in front of me. "Charlotte Emma Rogers-Stark, you are allowed to remain here as your sanctuary for as long as this villain threatens your life." I nod in gratitude. I notice movement from the corner of my eye and turn my head to watch Loki approach us both. If I wasn't tense before, I am now. He is carrying a small box with him. When he reaches us, he hands the box to Odin, meanwhile keeping eye contact with me. With a small smirk, he nods his head in my direction and then returns to his place by Frigga's side. I don't know what to make of that, so I choose to ignore it and focus my attention on the king.

Odin has already lifted the lid of the box and is pulling out what looks to be a very short chain. On it dangles what looks to be a golden star. Now, when I say star, I don't mean the typical five-pointed star that we see on earth. This is like a mini-sun. It is spherical and its colors morph from gold to yellow to orange as I watch. And yet it is only the size of a nut or bolt. Uncle Thor walks around behind me and removes the necklace that is already around my neck. Odin then proceeds to clasp the short chain around my neck. The sun sits right at the hollow of my neck. "This is the sign of the house of Odin. Any who see it will know that you are protected by me and my family and are to protect you at all costs." Once he is done with the clasp, he takes a step back and faces the warriors. "Let it be known to all that this child of Midgard is protected."

All four of them nod in understanding. Odin climbs back up the stairs and resumes his seat. Clasping the golden spear in his hand, he bangs it once on the floor. Suddenly, there is life in the hall: loud chatter and movement erupt everywhere. I look over to Uncle Thor and he gives me a nod and a smile. It's done.

Thank god.

Modi and Magni come running over and both grab my hand and start tugging me back towards the entrance. "Come on, Charlie! The feast is about to start and that's the best part!"

"Whoa, slow down boys!" I laugh at their antics and attempt to slow them down. My attempts are in vain. "The food isn't going anywhere!"

"Yes, but if we don't hurry Volstagg will eat it all!"

"I'm pretty sure Volstagg can't eat an entire feast on his own, boys."

The look these two boys gave me were so full of pity at my obvious naivety, I couldn't help but burst into laughter. Maybe my stay here won't be too terrible after all.


	4. Introductions

**A/N: I'm finally nearing the end of my finals! Thank god! I wrote this chapter in between studying and it just so happens to be the longest chapter yet. Coincidence? I think not. Good news, I now have a plan laid out for this story! Currently, it's up to chapter 23, so this is not going to be a short story. I hope you guys don't mind that! **

**Anyway, tell me what you think and enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I did, I wouldn't be in school.**

Introductions

Well, if I have to say one thing about Asgardians: they certainly know how to throw a feast.

Upon entering the banquet hall all I can do is gape in wonder. There is one main table that stretches the whole length of the hall, stacked full of food of all different types. Chickens, turkeys, bread of all types, more fruit than I can handle, and plenty of other dishes that I don't recognize. How is that table still standing? On each side of the room rest long tables with plenty of chairs for people to sit. I figure that this is kind of like a buffet: you get your food from the big table and then go and sit with your party or roam about if you wish. Bottles of wine and ale rest on the two tables so the guests don't have to get up to refill their glass.

People file into the room from behind me. Modi and Magni run off in the direction of the food in an ecstatic uproar. I shake my head fondly at their antics. Uncle Thor and Aunt Jane come to a stand beside me. "Now what?" I whisper at them.

Uncle Thor laughs. His laugh booms through the room, but is drowned out by the chatter and the clinking of dishes and goblets. "Now, we eat! I'm sure my mother will drag you about introducing you to everyone. So eat now."

Great, party introductions. This isn't so different from those stupid galas and parties my parents would drag me to. There's just more food. I sigh and walk over to the food. Might as well get started so I can get this over with.

Aunt Jane has to point out what everything is to me, as most of the food doesn't look recognizable. I basically piled on a lot of chicken, fruit, and bread onto my plate. I'll try the different stuff later. I take a seat in between the twins with Aunt Jane and Uncle Thor sitting across from me. Many people came to visit everyone while we ate. I was introduced to each new person, usually when I had food in my mouth, which isn't embarrassing in the slightest. Typically though I just sat there listening to all the stories that were swirling around me. Uncle Thor was telling the twins about some of the battles he was in during his youth. I remember all of these stories well. I heard all of them at some point in my life. When his attention was grabbed elsewhere, the twins would tell me all about the different pranks they would set on the poor residents of the palace. It seemed no one was safe from their mirth. It was in the middle of one of these stories when Lady Frigga came to visit.

"So, there I was," Modi was saying, quite dramatically, "running down the hall trying to find a place to hide from the guard. I wish I could say that I was serious, but how serious can you be when the person chasing you has bright blue hair? I happen to enter a room and there was no where I could hide. I tried to barricade the door, but the guard was able to enter easily. I wasn't about to go down without a fight. So with a mighty yell, I charged at the guard—"

"And was promptly picked up and deposited at my room," came the laughing voice of the queen. I start laughing at the shocked look on Modi's face. If he honestly think I was buying any of that "heroic" story, he had another coming. I look over to Frigga and see her smiling fondly at her grandson. "As I recall, it took that poor man two weeks to get the dye out of his hair." She then looks at me with a sly look. "I remember a certain little girl getting in trouble in a similar way. Only that time the color was bright orange and it stayed in that man's hair for a month."

"Oh my god, I completely forgot about that! Did it really take him a month to get it out?" Modi is giving me an astonished look. He's probably wondering how I was able to make the dye semi-permanent.

"Yes," Frigga responds. "A full month before his hair was long enough to cut it off."

Modi's jaw officially hit the floor. I can't stop laughing. Oh, I was such a little genius! I wonder if I could remember that recipe and save it for a rainy day at the tower? Maybe I would use it on Peter, only purple. Oh, that would be funny.

"I was wondering if it was alright if I stole you for a time, dear," Frigga says, changing the subject.

Sobering from my laughing fit, I nod and say my farewell to Modi. He is still gaping at me. I take Frigga's hand and she leads me over to the opposite side of the room. There I am reintroduced to my Uncle's closest allies.

"Ah, Lady Charlotte!" Fandral announces, kissing both of my cheeks in greeting. I cringe slightly at hearing my whole name. I'm so used to hearing that when I'm in trouble that it has become a little uncomfortable to actually hear anyone say it. I smile though and pretend that I'm not bothered. "You have certainly grown up from when we last saw you! You barely reached my waist then."

"Yes, well, given enough time children tend to grow," I respond. Sif and Frigga laugh. I get a smirk from Fandral.

"That they do," he replies. "Just know that if you need anything at all while you are here in Asgard, please do not hesitate to call on me." He gives a sweeping bow and I can't help but to think that he looks like a musketeer. It could be the mannerisms, or the way his blonde hair is styled. But it's probably because of the two girls that are waiting just behind him to be finished with me and to return his attention back to them. He then kisses my hand and returns back to the girls. It takes all of my self-control to not raise my eyebrow at him. As it stands, Hogun does that for me.

"Don't mind Fandral, he's always like that," Sif says to me, capturing my attention. "He will flirt with anything on two legs."

"I wouldn't say anything on two legs," says Volstagg. He has a massive sandwich on his plate that I can't help but marvel at. How does he fit something that large into his mouth?

"Close enough," Hogun contributes. I smile at the silliness of this conversation. It sounds so similar to a conversation that could be held on earth and makes me feel a little bit more relaxed. Maybe it won't take too much effort to fit into this world.

"I hope you are enjoying the feast, Lady Charlotte?" Volstagg asks me, immediately taking a giant bite of the sandwich. I still don't understand how it was able to fit and I watched him do it.

"Please, just call me Charlie. No need for this 'Lady' business," I tell them, blushing slightly. "And yes, I am. The food is absolutely wonderful, if a little different than what I am used to."

"Have you tried everything yet?" At the shake of my head, Volstagg shoves his plate over to Hogun and immediately grabs another filled with more food that was sitting at the empty spot of the nearby table. "Here, try everything! It is all very delicious and full of everything that will keep your strength up."

"Oh, god, I couldn't possibly eat another bite," I respond, placing a hand on my stomach. "I already feel like I'm ready to burst."

Before he could protest, Hogun steals that plate and shoves the sandwich back at Volstagg. Distracted by the magnificence that is the sandwich, Volstagg forgets about my refusal and goes back to eating it. I smile gratefully at Hogun who nods back.

"Again, if you require anything from us, please let us know," he says quietly before grabbing Volstagg's arm and dragging him off to wherever Fandral had wandered off to.

"So, Thor tells me you have become quiet the warrior since we saw you last," Sif starts, capturing my attention. She appears to be sizing me up.

"I wouldn't necessarily say that. I have been training to protect myself if that is what you mean. I've never actually been in a battle or anything."

She makes eye contact with me again. I don't know what she was looking for, but whatever it was, she appears to have found it. "Thor tells me you're pretty good at hand-to-hand combat and with knives."

I nod. "I've also just taken up the bow, but I'm no good at it yet."

She nods. "Well, if you would like, I could train you. Teach you the Asgardian ways of combat. We do not use too many weapons that use projectiles like your world does, but I can teach you to use a sword."

My eyes widen. "You would do that for me?"

She smiles. "Well, we need to keep you in shape. Besides, we might as well teach you a thing or two while you are here."

"I would love that, thank you!" I glance over to Frigga who is smiling as well. I can't help but to think that she was the one who planted the idea into Sif's head about teaching me. Not that I mind. It will be nice to learn how to use a sword. It will also give me an excuse to exercise. I tend to get lazy when I am away from home and don't work out nearly as often as I should. This should keep me in line.

"Good. We'll discuss times at a later date." She looks around the room and sees someone on the opposite end. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go harass someone who lost a bet." She bows to the queen and quickly walks off.

"She is a very interesting young woman," Lady Frigga says, linking her arm with mine and guiding me around the outside of the room. "She was the first woman to become a warrior and join the army of Asgard."

"I thought all women knew how to fight."

"Oh, we do," she says, smiling. "We are all taught by our mothers and sisters how to wield a blade. When our husbands are away fighting, someone needs to be able to protect our homes. However, none of us had actually made a career out of it. That is, until Lady Sif. Now, many young girls are following her example."

"Wow," I respond. Yeah, I always thought she was cool, but that is just amazing.

Frigga cocks her head and looks at me through the corner of her eyes. "My husband thought for the longest time that Sif would end up marrying Thor."

I give her an incredulous look. "Really? I figure they would end up destroying each other."

She laughs. "Oh, I wouldn't doubt that they would. Luckily enough, they just never saw each other in that way. And now Thor is with the beautiful Jane and I have two grandsons I can spoil."

We continue to walk the circuit of the room, talking quietly. Every once and a while, she would point out someone and tell me a random story about them. She seemed to know everyone in the room. That's pretty impressive for a queen to be able to recognize at least two hundred faces. I know I never could. I enjoy our brief interlude from the feast. These things can get exhausting.

"There is one more person I should introduce you to," she says, walking a little bit faster and leading me to the end of the room. "I get the feeling you two will be running into each other quite a bit during your stay."

After giving her a confused look, I look forward only to see Loki standing by the doorway. He kind of stands apart from everyone else, quietly observing them all. I suddenly understand what my family was talking about when they said he radiated intelligence. And he really does. Just looking at him you can tell that he could deduce everything about you with one glance. I could also understand what Uncle Thor told me about him: that he kept everything at arm's length. He was standing alone in a room full of people, after all.

Uncle Thor told me all about Loki's past and the fight that consequently ended with Loki falling into an endless void and Thor with a lost brother. I always thought it was curious that Loki seemed to hate Thor and Odin so much once he found out he was adopted. It made no sense to me. I mean, I understand that he was probably confused and hurt that he had been lied to for the majority of his life, but that doesn't mean that his family didn't love him just as much. I can tell with Uncle Thor that that is still the case. Odin I can't judge—I don't know him. Maybe I can figure that out while I'm here.

I'm not looking to befriend the guy; just understand him. I still have all of my family's stories to fuel my caution of him.

It doesn't take long for him to notice us approaching him. Having the full force of those calculating eyes on me makes me a little self-conscious. I don't know why. I just feel like he is plotting something. Hell, from what I know about him and from all the stories I have heard, he probably is. I kind of wish I knew what he was thinking—maybe then I wouldn't feel so paranoid.

Then again, maybe I don't.

When he finally looks over to Frigga, his entire demeanor changes just slightly: his eyes soften and his body relaxes. It's an interesting change. Then again, I'm more relaxed around my parents too. He holds out his hand for Frigga to take and she smiles at him. She has the same love shining in her eyes when she looks at him as she does when she looks at Thor or her grandchildren. The unconditional love of a mother.

Frigga turns and looks at me. "Charlie, this is my son, Loki." Turning back to her son, I notice his eyes are back on me. Only, there is amusement showing in his eyes now. "Loki, this is Charlotte. I trust you will help to make her feel comfortable while she is here."

He makes eye contact with me again. If it's possible, I am even more nervous. Maybe he can sense my nervousness like some carnivorous beast.

Nope, I'm not afraid of him. Not at all.

"Of course, Mother," he responds. "Anything to make Lady Charlotte comfortable."

Then stop looking at me like you want to eat me.

"It's just Charlie," I say, trying to keep my face pleasant and not let on just how nervous I felt. "No need for the formalities with me."

He bows his head, acknowledging my request. Those green eyes never leave me though. He's sizing me up, I can tell. Except he isn't looking for the same thing that Sif was looking for.

Before the conversation can continue, there is a giant crash behind me. We all turn to see one of the tables had overturned, spilling wine and food everywhere. My eyes widen at the sheer immensity of the mess that is laid out upon the ground. There is no movement within the hall. No one seems to know what to do until Uncle Thor starts laughing. Volstagg and Fandral join in and before I know it, everyone is laughing. I look over to Frigga who is shaking her head with a small smile on her face. "What just happened?" I ask her.

"Take a look around. Notice anyone missing?"

I look around the room. No one really pops out at me. However, there are two pint sized boys that appear to have disappeared from the crowd. Suddenly, I remember a little prank I set on the Avengers one day when I was particularly bored and was trying to show the twins just who was the master prankster.

"Those little brats," I whisper. "They stole my trick!"

"This was your idea?" Loki asks, taking in the mess.

"Not exactly. Once when they came visiting they were trying to pull little tricks on me and my family. I decided to show them how it was really done. When we were all having dinner, I tied the leg of the dinner table to my Pops leg so when he got up the table would move with him. The entire table toppled over, leaving a giant mess. It took hours to clean it up." I smile fondly recalling the memory. "It was worth it."

"I swear, between you two and the twins, this palace will never be safe again," Frigga says, shaking her head. I smile innocently at her. Loki remains stoic faced. "Well I better go help Jane find them. I'll be back in a few minutes."

She's leaving me? Alone? With Loki? I'm going to die. I watch her retreating back in what can only be described as rising panic. Okay, I'm not going to let this guy intimidate me. He cannot make me feel inferior without my consent. Nope. I can handle this.

"So, you are the woman the twins love to talk about," he states, turning his full attention back on me. I meet his gaze (I didn't flinch, yay!) and raise my eyebrow in question. "You are the one they talk about after every visit to Midgard."

"Oh, I can't have left that big an impression."

"Well, obviously you have," he says, pointing towards the floor and the mess still laying all over the floor. I wonder if I should help clean that up? "What is that saying your people have? Mimicry is the highest form of flattery?"

I raise both of my eyebrows at him. "I admit I helped to give them some ideas, but I'm not that amazing. And besides, it's not as if they don't have plenty of bad influences here as well."

He turns his gaze away from me finally. "Hm. Maybe you are right."

"About?"

"You really are not that amazing."

I stare incredulously at the side of his head. Did he really just go there? "Oh? And what basis do you have for that assumption?"

He points out the mess once again. "While clever, it really does no one any good this trick, other than surprise. A prank should do more than just leave a mess to clean up."

"Really? Pray tell, what would you have done to make this lasting?"

He smiles slightly, a gleam entering his eyes. "I would make it so the food actually chased those in the hall."

I start laughing. I can't help it, the visual is too great. I can see Uncle Thor being chased by a 20-pound chicken and him waving around that hammer of his bellowing about a chicken not besting him in combat. "While that is a wonderful idea, not all of us were granted with magic as an inherent skill."

"Indeed."

The conversation comes to a halt when I see Frigga and Jane enter the hall once more. Jane is carrying Magni, who appears to be sleeping on her shoulder. Frigga is leading a barely conscious Modi by the hand. They both stop in front of us. "It appears the twins fell asleep in the servant's side chamber waiting for their prank to take hold," Frigga says, looking at each boy in turn.

"I'm going to take the boys to bed," Jane says, looking at Magni then at Modi with a small smile.

I smile at Modi who can barely keep his eyes open. "I'll help," I offer, picking him up. His head immediately lands on my shoulder. He turns his head to look at Loki.

Loki smirks at the little boy. "Well done," is all he says to him. I quirk my eyebrow.

"Thanks, Uncle Loki." He turns his head and buries his face into my neck and is out a second later.

"Will you be coming back to the feast?" Frigga asks Jane and I. We both shake her head.

"I'm just as exhausted as these two," Jane says.

I nod, agreeing with Jane. I'm not actually tired, but I don't really want to feast anymore. Like I said before, this kind of thing has always made me feel vaguely uncomfortable. I just want to get out of this dress and into some pajamas and read until I can't see straight.

"I will see you at breakfast then," Frigga says, kissing us both on the cheek. I nod at Loki as a farewell and turn with Aunt Jane to head to our rooms. We walk in silence for a couple minutes before I can't take it anymore.

"Do the boys and Loki actually have a good relationship?" I ask, barely able to contain my curiosity.

Jane laughs quietly, so she doesn't disturb Magni. "We all have a pretty good relationship with him." At my incredulous look, she laughs again. "Thor and him still have a pretty rocky relationship, and Loki certainly wasn't my favorite when I first started coming here. In fact, the first time I met him, I punched him."

"Seriously? You punched Loki? In the face?" At her nod, I start laughing. "You are my hero, Aunt Jane."

"Yes, well, he certainly didn't seem fazed by it. He smiled immediately after. I think that gained a small amount of respect from him. I saw him all the time though, because we were both always at the library. We didn't really start getting along until I won an argument against him. I don't really remember what we were talking about, but he tried to be the smarter one and it kind of failed." She rolls her eyes. "I don't think he was used to anyone being able to keep up with him in the intelligence department until me. We have an odd friendship."

"Let me guess," I interject. "When Uncle Thor is driving you nuts, you go to Loki to vent?"

"Loki or Sif," she confirms. We both laugh. Modi groans into my shoulder and I quiet down. I rub his back as an apology.

"When the twins were born," she continues, "I think Loki saw it as his chance to help redeem himself in the eyes of Odin. He helps Frigga and I teach them. Frigga teaches them magic and the history of Asgard, I teach them of Earth and science, and Loki teaches them how to use magic and strategy in combat."

"I assume Uncle Thor just teaches them how to fight."

"And what it means to be princes of Asgard."

I nod. I always forget that these little brats are in line for the throne. They just don't seem like they would be princes. They're so carefree and young. I don't want either one of them to become like Thor and Loki, fighting for who is worthy to be on the throne. But I also do not want them to be like Odin—I only just met him but he seemed so distant from everyone else. Both of these boys are able to get along with anyone. I don't want them to have to withdraw just to become a wise king.

Then again, the likelihood of me seeing them become king is nil. I'll be long dead before that happens.

Aunt Jane and I walk the quiet halls in silence the rest of the way. Upon entering the twins room, I immediately notice the mess. Aunt Jane just shakes her head and deposits Magni in the turquoise bed. I lay Modi down on the bronze one on the other side of the room. I go around the room, picking up the strewn books and replacing them on the bookshelf and putting all of the clothes back into their shared closet. Aunt Jane takes off their armor and puts them into some more comfortable clothing while I pick up their room.

When we are both done, we walk out and head towards our separate rooms. I wish Aunt Jane a good night and enter my room. There is a fire burning in the fireplace. Now that I am here, I'm completely wide awake. First order of business is getting out of this dress. And then figuring out what I am going to do for the rest of the night.

I change into some sweatpants and a T-shirt then amble towards the bookshelf. Maybe I should read? Usually that can make me tired enough to want to sleep. However, I'm feeling a little restless. I look over towards the door. While I am very familiar with this wing of the palace, there are many that I have never explored. It would be fun to just wander and see what I could find. And if I get lost—which, let's face it, I probably _will_ get lost—I can probably just find a guard and ask them to give me directions.

With this flawless plan in place, I go over to my bag, which I still need to unpack, and pull out my small Starkpod. It's like the iPod, only it holds way more songs and the battery life lasts for forever. My dad specifically designed it so it could handle my music addiction. Grabbing the same knife I had on for the majority of the night, I walk straight out the door.

This should be interesting.


	5. Meeting in the Blue Room

**A/N: Finals are over! My closest friends have graduated! And now I am home! Unfortunately, that does not mean chapters will come any faster. I have work. Yay. Anyway, this is a shorter chapter, unfortunately, but hopefully the next will be a long one to compensate. **

**Let me know what you think and enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Marvel universe, I just like to use it and bend it to my will. **

Meeting in the Blue Room

Yep. I'm lost.

I've only been wandering for maybe an hour—okay, probably two hours—and I am completely, thoroughly lost. This palace is so big, it's ridiculous. I mean, who needs this much space to begin with? And what do they use all of these rooms for? I must have passed at least three halls that compete with the throne room in size, maybe a hundred private rooms, two fighting arenas, and that was only in the first two wings. I haven't even found the library yet.

Sigh.

I appear to have entered a completely separate wing of the palace. And yes, I am in another giant hall. The room is decorated in gold just like the rest of the palace, but with simple carvings and murals. But what makes this room stand out is the giant tree sprouting in the middle of it. There are nine main branches suspended in the air, each holding what appears to be a spinning galaxy. The tree encompasses the entire hall with only enough room to walk around the trunk. This must be the tree of Yggdrasil. Uncle Thor told me all about it. I just didn't realize it was an actual tree. Staring up into the higher branches, I can't help but marvel at its beauty.

However, I am still lost and staring at a tree will not help me find my way back to familiar territory.

Walking back out of the hall, I look down the hallway once more. I don't remember which way I came. I shrug and decide to go right. Might as well explore some more. At least until I can find someone anyway. I pass many doorways, but every doorway I enter shows an empty room. I get the feeling I've found an abandoned wing. Or at the very least a wing that is used very rarely.

See? This place has way too much room.

I pass through another doorway which leads toward another hallway. This one is shrouded in darkness. I probably shouldn't go down it. But I really want to. I take one of the lit torches off the wall and proceed down this hallway. It is clear from the dust on the floor that no one has really been this way in ages. There probably isn't anything down here, but my curiosity is piqued.

I walk down the hallway, trying to see beyond my little pool of light. I enter a circular antechamber with three massive doors, one in front of me and the other two on either side. I feel like I'm on that game show where you have to pick a curtain to see what prize you get. What was that show called again? Let's Make a Deal? Sounds about right. I look at each door in turn and decide to go into door number three—I mean the one on my right.

I open the door and peer inside. I slam the door shut almost as fast as I opened it. There was a giant wolf in there. And when I say giant, I mean it could probably swallow me without chewing and I wouldn't even be considered a snack. Pinning the doors shut against my back, I can't help but wonder what the hell that thing is doing in there? It looked like it was asleep (thank god), but how can it stay in there? I didn't notice any chains or bindings on it. Maybe this was its resting place? Was it Odin's attack dog? Oh my god.

Okay, okay, whatever. Whatever this thing is, it's obviously none of my business. Backing away from the door, I watch it carefully waiting for the beast to come tearing through them, but it doesn't happen. I'm suddenly a little bit more nervous to look through the other doors. Maybe I should just leave it well enough alone.

Looking at the other doors though makes my resolve waver. Okay, maybe just one more door. Then I promise to go back and find my way out of here.

I pick the door on the opposite side from me. I very carefully open the door and take a look inside. There is a blue light emanating in this room, but I don't see any living thing in the room. Oh good. Taking a step inside, I lift the torch a little higher to try and give the room more light. The fuel in the torch is starting to run low so I don't know how much longer I will have it. Oh well.

There are very few things in the room: a few tables line the outside walls, some of them with a few absurd looking objects on them. But the object that captures my attention is the blue looking rectangular thing at the end of the room. It's chained to the podium it sits on, leading me to believe it is not supposed to leave this room. I wonder what it is. Stepping a little closer, I bend down to look at it. It is rectangular in shape, with two metal handles on either side of it. The blue light coming from it swirls similar to what you would find in a pool, only a richer blue. There are lines within the casing that reminds me of ice cracking on the top of a lake. When I reach out to touch it, a severe cold radiates outward from it. I snatch my hand back. My hand is already red and I didn't even touch it.

"I would not touch that. Unless you want to cut off your hand."

I jump about a mile in the air and whirl around to face the sudden voice that came from behind me. My heart feels like I just ran a marathon. My training kicks in and I immediately crouch into a defensive position, pulling out my knife in the process. The man standing there lifts his hands in the universal "I'm harmless" position. I take the time to take this person in as I straighten my posture. I refuse to put the knife away though.

First thing that is noticeable: he's blue. I can't help but to immediately think of "Avatar"; my Pops loves that movie, for whatever reason. However, other than the blue skin, that is the only similarity. His eyes are completely red—and I don't mean just the iris. The entirety of his eyes are red. It's a little off-putting to be perfectly honest. Lines are etched across his face that could possibly be tattoos, but for all I know are actually part of his anatomy. His black hair is slicked back from his face. He is wearing a black tunic and leather vest with black pants and boots to match. Almost no skin shows except for his face and hands.

I'm still kind of fixated on the blue. Sorry, I can't help it.

"Who are you?" I ask, still standing defensively with the knife grasped tightly in my hand. He may say he means no harm, but I don't really trust him yet.

"A prisoner," he responds.

"Then shouldn't you be in the prison?"

A self-deprecating smile twists his mouth. "My imprisonment is not conventional." He pauses and takes in my appearance. Then he glances at the object behind me. "You might want to step away from the casket."

I quickly glance back at the object and back to him. "Why?"

"You don't know what it is?"

"Does it look like I know what it is?" I probably shouldn't be a smartass right now, but I can't help it. He makes me feel like an idiot and all he has done is say a few words.

He chuckles quietly. Great, now I know he's laughing at me. This is just getting better and better. "It is called the Casket of Ancient Winters. Ever heard of it?"

"It rings a bell."

He nods. "As it should. You are a friend of that blonde oaf in line for the throne, correct?" I glare at him.

"He's my Uncle, so please don't insult him in front of me unless you want to get stuck with a knife."

He smirks at me, but nods his head in acquiescence. "Well, you must have heard the tale of how Asgard defeated the armies of Jotunheim?" I nod. After all, that is what the basis of my research is. "That is one of the relics taken from Jotunheim at the conclusion of the conflict. Unless you are a Jotun, coming into contact with it will ensure a removal of a limb."

I raise my eyebrow at him. I'm not so sure about that.

"So, if this is a confiscated relic, what are you doing in here?" I ask, putting away my knife. I highly doubt we are going to get into a physical confrontation. Right now, it seems as if he is just trying to annoy me to death, even though he seems to be trying to prevent me from losing a hand.

"I just wished to see a piece of my own history." I sounded vaguely sarcastic. He pauses for a second, looking me up and down again. "What are _you_ doing in here?"

I blush under his scrutiny, realizing that I am not exactly wearing appropriate clothing. Compared to his clothes, my sweatpants and thin T-shirt is downright revealing. I cross my arms over my chest and glare at him. "I was just exploring. I kind of stumbled on this place." I look around the room again and decide then and there to take my leave. "Well, thank you for attempting to save me from losing a hand. I will leave you to your history then." I walk past him and towards the door.

"Before you go, I wish to know something," he says before I can escape out the door. I turn back around and look at him, trying not to let my annoyance show. He meets my eyes dead on. "You know what I am. Are you afraid of me?"

I give him a confused look. "Why would I be afraid of you? I don't even know who you are."

"I am a Jotun," is his only response.

"So?" I shrug. "Why should I be afraid of you because you are Jotun?"

"Everyone else is."

I smirk at him. "I am not everyone else," I reply, taking a step back towards him. "The way I see it, the only difference between you and me is the fact that you have blue skin and I don't. Why should I be afraid of you?"

He takes a step closer to me as well. "I can harm you with hardly a touch."

I laugh. "You and plenty of other people I know." At the annoyed look he gives me, I decide I should probably take this seriously. "Look, you may be able to hurt me by simply touching me, but you won't. If you wanted to hurt me, you would have when I was distracted. And besides, I'm a little tougher than what you make me out to be."

"You are a mortal," he says. "You are one of the weakest creatures in the nine realms, and you believe you can handle my icy touch." He snorts.

"Okay, hotshot," I reply, holding out my arm. Just being this close to him causes goose bumps to rise on my arms. "Try me." He scoffs and steps back from me. I decide to press him further. "And besides, that isn't what I was trying to say. I was saying that it takes more than just your parentage to be a monster. Your actions define you more than your blood does. And I know you won't hurt me if you do touch me."

He does not respond. I decide to take matters into my own hands. I walk up to him and grab his hand. He tries to pull away from me, but I hold on. I may not be as strong as he is, but I am able to keep my hold on him. And yes, his hand is freaking cold. A frost covers my hand and begins to travel up my arm. I clench my teeth and refuse to break the contact. I can handle it. He finally is able to wrench his hand from mine and take a few steps away from me. He holds his hands behind his back, probably trying to keep them away from me. His eyes are wide. I look down at my arm and watch as the frost slowly melts away. A red glow is emanating from my skin and the temperature has shot up, trying to compensate for the sudden cold. But my skin isn't blackened or falling off. I'm perfectly fine.

I look up and watch him stare at my hand in wonder. "I told you: You wouldn't hurt me." I rub my arm and hand, trying to lessen the red glow. It goes away after a few minutes. He still hasn't responded, so I decide to continue speaking. "I don't believe I got your name."

"No, I do not believe you did," he mutters, finally looking back up at me.

I shrug. "Fair enough." I turn back around heading back towards the doors. He stops me once again though.

"Why is it that you do not think I am a monster?"

"Because you could have easily let me touch the casket, when you believed it could hurt me." I turn back around. "Why did you stop me?"

"We are all under orders to keep you safe." Absolutely no emotions cross his face.

I smirk. "Okay. Good night, Jotun man."

I walk through the door before getting a response and close it behind me. It's not until I am halfway down the hall that I realize that I left the torch on the ground back there. Oh well. There is enough light ahead of me that I can see where I am going.

Walking back through the halls I had just passed, I attempt to retrace my steps while trying to find someone to lead me back to my room. My thoughts wander back to the blue man. I wonder what he meant about him being a prisoner? That room was not locked, keeping him trapped in there. And he is not in the prisons. Could he be a slave to someone in the palace? I don't think slaves are a part of Asgardian culture, but I could be wrong. I'll have to ask Uncle Thor about him. Maybe he will know who he is.

I just can't shake the feeling that he was completely alone. He just radiated the feeling of loneliness and pain.

I pass the hall with the giant tree and happen to see the billowing of a cloak pass to another hall. I chase after it and see a guard. After getting directions from him, I make it back to my room in only fifteen minutes. I crash into my bed and decide to just remove the Jotun man from my thoughts. No point in worrying about someone I may never meet again.

**A/N: By the way, I have completed my plan and it is currently at 36 chapters. So, I hope you all are in it for the long haul!**

**Happy Holidays!**


	6. Breakfast and Blades

**A/N: I should be asleep right now, getting prepared for my first shift back at work. But no, I was writing and looking over this chapter for you all. You should feel loved. lol Well, this one is longer than the last chapter with a little more action in it. I'm finally starting to get to the plot of the actual story. Finally. **

**Let me know what you think! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Still own nothing but the plot and Charlie**

Breakfast and Blades

Considering how I was woken up the last time it was time to move about, my awakening this morning was downright peaceful.

I was drifting in a sea of black bliss when there is a loud scraping sound accompanied by a bright intruding light. Scrunching up my face, I open my eyes a crack and see the curtains had been thrown open to allow the light to shine in. Groaning in annoyance, I roll over and attempt to bury my head in the sea of pillows. However, that doesn't seem to be the plan today.

"It is time to wake up, Charlie."

I glance up after hearing the queen's voice and look around my room. I heard her, but I don't see her. Blinking a few times, I sit up and yawn widely, stretching out my back in the process. I glance around my room one more time looking for the queen. I know I heard her. She has to be in the room somewhere.

Or maybe I'm just delusional. Either one.

Two seconds later, the very person I was searching for walks out of my closet carrying some clothing in her arms. She smiles, seeing I am awake. I just blink at her. I'm really not a morning person. Before she can say anything, I promptly fall over back onto my side. I don't want to get up yet.

"Oh, none of that!" I can practically hear her roll her eyes. She throws the pile of clothes on top of me. I can feel something not so soft land on my face and I grunt at the unexpected hard hit. Sitting up again, I paw through the clothes. They appear to be a set of leisure clothes mixed with some armor pieces. Before I can ask her what they are for, she starts heading towards the door. "Breakfast will be ready soon. Get yourself around. Jane and the boys will guide you to the dining hall." And with that, she was out the door.

I sit there blinking at the door for a minute, trying to kick start my brain. I need coffee. Yawning again, I drag myself out of the bed and dress myself into the clothing Frigga had thrown at me. The black pants fit closer to what I would expect leggings would. The lavender shirt is similar to a tunic, only the arms aren't so flowy and it is cinched tighter around the waist and bust so the armor won't scrunch up the fabric. The armor rests over my chest and comes to a rest at my waist. A belt goes around the top of my pants where I can place blades if I needed to. Some black leather knee high boots complete the outfit. I decide to strap two knives to the belt.

After freshening up (and by freshening up, I mean making myself look human after waking up), I make sure the necklace is resting on my neck and walk out the door. No one is outside the door except for a couple guards. I nod at them in greeting and walk over to Aunt Jane's room. Before I can knock, the door is flung open by the woman I was looking for. "Oh! Good morning, Charlie!"

"Morning," I say, lowering my arm and stepping to the side so she can get out. I never say "good morning." I consider that an oxymoron. Now, if morning happened at noon, I would then consider saying it.

Okay, maybe not even then.

We walk across the expansive hall and into the twins' room. Oddly enough, they weren't there. Assuming they were both already waiting on the food, we leave and head down the hallway. I can't help but notice that the two guards start following us as soon as we leave the hall. They are staying a respectable distance away, but it is still a little unnerving.

"They are my guards," Aunt Jane whispers over to me. I assume she saw my not-so-subtle glances at them.

"_Your_ guards?" I ask.

"Yes. When I am not around Thor, they stay by my side to protect me in case of an attack."

"Oh. Does everyone have one?"

She shakes her head. "Only me and the boys. I can't really protect myself if someone really wanted to hurt me, and the boys are still too young."

I nod. It's nice knowing that they all have an extra security blanket in case someone wanted to attack them. Uncle Thor can't be around all the time to keep them safe. I know on earth, they would probably face assassination attempts just for being married/related to the heir of Asgard. I don't know if that is the case here (Uncle Thor would hunt down anyone that would try to hurt his family), but it's nice to know that they are safe regardless.

We walk into a small dining hall. As predicted, the boys are sitting in the seats in the middle of the table, heads together whispering about something, which means nothing good. Lady Frigga is seated at the right side of the head. Thor is beside her, busy engaged in a conversation with her. Jane goes and sits beside him, giving him a morning kiss. The boys groan at the public display before both of them get a hair ruffle from their father. Frigga directs me to sit across form her and I take a seat. All of the plates are laid out with food of all varieties. I load my plate with some fruit and sausage and sit waiting for some more direction. I figure I should be polite and at least wait for everyone to arrive before digging in.

Thor was busy retelling the story of how Aunt Jane and him met—which resulted in an argument about whether he was felled by a van or not—when Loki enters. He walks around the table giving everyone a greeting. He kisses Frigga on the cheek before taking the seat next to mine. "Good morning, Charlotte."

"It's just Charlie," I reply automatically. I'm pretty sure I asked him to call me that last night. He responds with a smirk. Oh, great. He's going to be one of those annoying people that call me Charlotte just to annoy me. Just what I need.

Before any conversations can get started, Odin walks in. He looks very casual wearing a black outfit with very little adornment. He gives his wife a kiss on the cheek as well before taking a seat at the head and starting to eat. He seems like a very silent man. Everyone around me starts to eat as well, so I decide to join in. Might as well try to get some energy for the day. My brain still isn't working up to speed.

"I trust that everything is in order with your room, Charlotte?" Odin asks suddenly, breaking me from my inner struggle of waking up.

I blink at him for a moment before swallowing my mouthful of juice. "You can call me Charlie. And yes, everything is perfect. Thank you for allowing me in your home."

He nods his head. "We should probably discuss who will be guarding you while you are here."

I cock my head slightly. "Guarding me, sir?" I glance over at Jane. She points towards the doorway. Oh! Like those personal guards that she has.

He nods again, taking a sip from his goblet. "While you are here, we want to make sure that you remain safe. Having a guard with you will help to ensure that safety is well met."

I glance around the table and notice that Uncle Thor and Frigga are watching me carefully. The twins aren't even paying attention to what is going on and Loki appears to be disinterested in being in the room. "While I appreciate the offer, sir, I can adequately protect myself. I don't wish to cause any trouble for you or the men under your command."

He meets my gaze with his one blue eye. I suddenly feel a little bit more intimidated. "I have heard of your skill. Thor speaks quite highly of you. However, you are still mortal. Anyone that would come to fight you will be much stronger and more skilled. You will require adequate protection."

"I understand that, sir. But I am pretty sure I can protect myself against many opponents." I glance over at Uncle Thor. "Thor has trained me as well as my mortal teachers. I can hold my own fairly well, especially if I have a knife in my hand." I hear a snort from next to me. I glance over at Loki. His focus is on the plate in front of me, but the small smirk tugging at his lips proves that he is really paying attention to the conversation next to him. "Care to share your thoughts, Loki?"

He glances at me out of the corner of his eye. "While I am sure your skills are quite… good, I doubt you would be able to defeat someone of Asgardian skill."

"And why do you think that?"

"You are a mortal."

"Your point?"

"Your skills are limited." He turns his head and looks me dead in the eye, a smirk spanned fully across his mouth. "You can never best someone of our skill and strength."

I smirk right back at him. He has another thing coming if he doesn't think I won't do anything to prove myself. Before I can reply he continues speaking. "And your skills with knives can never compete with—"

Before he can finish, I unsheathe one of my knives and slam it into the table right where his left hand is resting against it. The blade sits snuggly in between his middle and ring finger. My action completely freezes him. I know because I never took my eyes off of his face as he dismissed me. I was trained by Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton. My accuracy is dead on.

"Whoa, Charlie!" Magni says, sitting up a little straighter in his chair. "How did you do that? Your aim was so on point!"

"What are you talking about, Magni?" I ask, never taking my eyes off of the man in front of me. He slowly turns his head and meets my eyes. I smirk at him. "I missed."

I wasn't actually aiming for hitting his hand, but nobody else has to know that.

I let the blade go and relax back into my seat. I look back over to Odin who has an impressed look on his old face. Uncle Thor is attempting to hold back a smile but is failing miserably. Aunt Jane just has a surprised look on her face and Frigga is shaking her head softly. Loki finally moves his hand and removes the blade from the table.

"Hm, maybe we should evaluate your skills," Odin mutters, capturing my attention. Sitting a little straighter in his chair he nods to himself before making eye contact with me. "At midday, you will face six Asgardian warriors. If you can beat them all, you can go about your business with no need of a guard." I nod, understanding. Sounds good to me. "There is one condition: you may not use a weapon." At my incredulous face, he chuckles before explaining himself further. "The likelihood of you being armed when an attack happens is small. If you can prove you can protect yourself with no need of a weapon, then I shall consider you a formidable opponent."

I nod again, understanding the conditions. I just have to kick six guys butts using nothing but my bare hands. I think I can manage that.

OoO

I am standing in an outdoor courtyard. The royal family, minus the twins (their studies don't just end because I am going to duel) and Loki (I have no freaking clue where he might be), are sitting on a balcony just behind me. I am wearing the same outfit that I wore at breakfast, minus my two knives. It's been awhile since I have fought without at least one blade, but that is okay. I can still beat most men who are armed without needing to use my blades anyway.

I am standing there, staring at my first opponent. He is tall, at least half a foot taller than I am. He is also big. Bulky big. His helmet and armor look heavy and he is wielding a spear in his hands. He has a cocky grin on his face. He is obviously underestimating me. A lot of people do that when they first see me. I am not small—I am 5'7" with the muscle mass and curves to boot—but I am a woman. Most men always underestimate a woman in battle, which makes us the perfect targets.

And also the biggest surprise.

He charges me and I stand there, fairly relaxed. He points the spear at my chest. Just before it makes contact, I bat it away with an open palm and hit him on his forehead with my other open palm. He wasn't expecting that. I don't hit him hard enough to leave a bruise, just to toss his head back and mess with his balance. I take a step back and relax once again. Once he focuses on me again, he narrows his eyes in anger. I smirk. My prey is already following my dance quite well. He charges me again and I quickly spin out of the way and knock the back of his helmet with a closed fist. His head jerks downward and he is thrown off again. He turns and faces me with an enraged look. I just smile innocently. Adjusting his helmet, he charges once more.

We continue this interesting dance before I decide to end it. He is very pissed off at this point and I am about to start laughing at the poor idiot. He is doing one thing though: slowing down. I figure all of that armor is pretty heavy. His breathing is labored. When he charges me this time, I grab the staff of the spear and jerk it out of his hands while also hitting him in the solar plexus with the flat of my hand. He lands on his back in a heap, struggling to fix his breathing. I point the spear at his throat and the match is mine. I toss the spear away and walk over to the middle of the courtyard. There is my next opponent.

This one is smaller, but that doesn't mean he isn't formidable. He is not carrying a weapon, meaning he is going to attack me with his fists. I let all of the breath out of my body and relax into my defensive stance. This one may be more difficult than the last one. Similar to my last opponent, he charges me with a raised fist. I lean my body to avoid the hit and raise my leg to kick him in the chest. He catches my foot though and attempts to throw me. With some quick acrobatics, I am back on my own two feet and fighting away again.

This fight lasts awhile. It doesn't end until I am able to land on his back and suffocate him, which was a struggle in and of itself. He struggled, twisting and turning to get me off of him. I held on with all that I had until he was on his hands and knees. I didn't let go until he was face down in the dirt. Once I got up, I checked his pulse. Still alive. I'm not trying to kill them, just get them to concede defeat. Or knock them out. Whichever one comes first.

I walk away from that with a few more bruises and my breathing rate is faster. But I am ready for the next one. The next two go pretty much the same way, only much longer. My opponents are getting better with each one that I come up against. It took me bashing the third guy's head into a stone platform to get him to not get back up. And he gave me a pretty bad bruise on my back after slamming me into the same platform. I am going to be feeling that one for days. The fourth guy I was able to concede defeat: he had a mace on him that I was able to steal.

I went into the fifth match with a pretty battered body and a lot of trouble breathing. But I was going to do this. I only had two more opponents and I wouldn't need a personal guard to follow me like a shadow. This guy is wearing absolutely no armor, which is a first. He is my height and my size. He carries no weapons. I understand what he can do within the first few moves: he is basically a martial artist. He specializes in some pretty interesting aerial stunts with flying feet. I keep my distance from him for a while. I can pull some pretty fancy moves, but I don't pull those out unless I plan on snapping someone's neck.

I don't plan on doing that today.

After ten minutes of dancing around each other, I am finally able to finish the fight by having him fall into a well. It took me a long time to maneuver it so that it would happen. In the middle of a courtyard a well sits on a raised platform. I got it so we were exchanging blows on this platform. The guy jumped up onto the sides of the well and all I did was kick at one of his feet. He fell right in.

Leaning against the edge for support, I gasp in some air, while also checking for the guy. I can hear some splashes from the bottom and spluttering yells. He's fine. I straighten up and face my last opponent. Just one guy stands in my way of freedom.

And that guy happens to be Loki.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding," I mutter, deflating a little. Of all the people I have to fight, I have to fight him. Right now. While I can barely breathe.

He raises his eyebrow at my outburst. "Do you need a moment to catch your breath, Charlotte?" he asks, his voice brimming in sarcasm.

"Why? Are you sleepy?" I ask in return. I am not about to let myself lose to this guy. It will only make his head bigger. I stand up a little straighter and face him dead on. "Bring on your worst."

"Gladly." Faster than I can comprehend, he whips some knives out of nowhere and flings them at me. On instinct more than anything else, I backflip away, missing all of the knives. One is still able to graze my cheek, but I don't let the sting bother me. I've had worse. Much worse. I land on my feet again. Before I can really get my balance back, he is on me.

Fighting Loki is different than fighting the guards. He doesn't use fancy moves or weapons, just a knife, brute force, and deadly insight. I'm already at a disadvantage because I am tired and weaker than when I started, so I make stupid mistakes. But, I am glad to say that I was able to hold my own for about ten minutes.

I roundhouse kick him in the face. However, I land on my other foot and my balance wavers. Seeing his opportunity, he rushes me, completely knocking me to the ground. Before I can get back up, he straddles my waist and holds his knife to my throat. Unable to do anything without risking my neck, I simply lay there, tensed and staring up at him. I attempt to get my breathing under control while we stare at each other. Something passes through his eyes. I think it was respect. I really couldn't tell, it passes too quickly before I could really get a hold of it.

Clapping sounds fill the air and I watch Uncle Thor approach out of the corner of my eye. Loki closes his eyes and withdraws. I sit up. "Not bad for a stuffy old prince," I remark, glancing up at him.

"Not bad for a weak mortal girl," he retorts. I smile slightly before standing up. I think that is the nicest thing he will ever say to me. Fine by me.

Uncle Thor walks over and gives me a hug. "Fine job, little one!" I nod, too tired to do anything else. My energy has left me and all I want to do is soak in a hot bath. The rest of the family comes over as well. Aunt Jane and Frigga both congratulate me on a job well done. I nod and lean against Uncle Thor for some mild support. I can start to feel the bruises make themselves known.

I am going to feel this for days.

Odin is the last to speak. "You fought well." He glances around the courtyard at all the fallen men before his eyes land on Loki. "However, the terms stated that you must beat six opponents. You only defeated five. Therefore, you will be assigned a personal guard." I sag in disappointment. I don't protest out loud though—he is right. I was supposed to beat six and I was unable to beat Loki. Oh well. I will just have to get used to having a shadow around. "Frigga and I will discuss who will be best to guard you in the future. For now, rest. We will inform you of our decision at a later time."

I nod and stand up fully. Well, as fully as my bruised back would let me. That bath is officially calling my name.

**A/N: How was that fight? I know nothing about fighting, so I kind of just winged it! Hope you all enjoyed!**


	7. A New Guard

**A/N: For whatever reason, this story seems to be flying. I can't stop writing it! I write at least an hour everyday. (I wish I could do that with my other story...) It's probably because I have a (somewhat) detailed plan laid out. Lucky for you all considering I am updating fairly quickly. **

**Anywho, I hope you all enjoy and as always, let me know what you think! **

**Disclaimer: Still nothing of money making ability is mine. Charlie and the plot are the only things I own.**

A New Guard

I must have been in that bath for at least an hour and a half. And it was worth it.

Getting out, I decide to catalog the damage. The cut on my cheek is already bandaged up. There is some mild bruising around it, but it should only take a week or two before it's completely healed. Mild bruises are riddled along my arms and legs, most of them aren't bad though. They will be gone in a few days. As suspected, there is a massive bruise about the size of an orange in the center of my back where I was slammed into the edge of the platform. It's purple right now and it will probably change to that sickly green-yellow color over the course of the week. It makes my already stiff back worse which means I am going to have to stretch every day to get my back to work right.

Well, at least it distracts from the scars a little bit.

I throw on some comfortable clothes—loose black pants and a long-sleeve white top—before perusing the books in my room. I decided in the bath that I should just relax and let my body rest after the beating it took today. And this is probably going to be the best time for me to do some research. I'm thinking of looking up Asgard's ancient history, just to see what it was like before they became the guard dogs of the universe.

After an hour of looking at all of the books at my disposal, I come to a realization: there are far too many books on this one topic. I have pulled at least fifty and that was only on the first half. My back is starting to protest the vertical position I am in, so I just pick a book and settle down into the chair on my balcony. The sun is shining brightly and I bask in its glow.

It doesn't take long for me to realize that I can't focus on the book in my hands. I keep thinking back to this morning and the verdict. I have to get a guard now. I'm not really okay with that. Even after defeating five of the royal army and Odin still doesn't think I can protect myself. I mean, I'm human, I'm a mortal. I am much weaker than Asgardians. I should not have been able to beat any of them, to be perfectly honest. The only reason why I was able to is because of my extensive training and I was able to strategize and figure out the best way of beating them. The first one was easy: he was cocky and I used his "charge first, ask questions later" strategy to my advantage. He was also very easy to anger—and if you allow your anger to get the best of you, you will always make a mistake. The second was harder, as most fist fights are not easy to strategize. But he left an opening for me to wrap around him and I was able to finally suffocate him. The third guy was more luck than anything else: after smashing me into the platform, he almost was able to get me to concede defeat. He was straddling my hips with his arm pressed over my throat, but that is always a bad place to rest on someone. I was able to flip us using my hipbones as the focal point and then bashed his head against the edge until he stopped moving.

One of the many tricks I learned from Aunt 'Tasha.

The fourth guy had the mace. Really when it comes to weapon users, if you are able to get their weapon away from them, you're pretty much golden. A lot of people who use a weapon rely heavily on that weapon rather than their own abilities. Once I got the mace out of his hands, there wasn't much he could do. I hit him on the head with his own weapon and down he went. The fifth guy I was able to maneuver and get him to fall down a well.

Now that I am thinking about it, I wonder if they are all okay. I hit a lot of them on the head.

And then there was Loki. Loki was not like the other men. He left absolutely no openings for me to take advantage of and he made sure I was almost always defending myself. He didn't toy with me, like I did with my first opponent. He didn't bother with fancy moves or weapons really. I mean, he did throw knives at me, but I feel that was just to get me to start moving and to ensure that my balance was a little off when I had landed. He was all brute force and deadly accuracy. But he didn't use enough force to actually harm me. It's no secret that most Asgardians could probably just kick me and I would have broken bones and internal bleeding. Loki and the other men only used enough force to cause mild bruising.

Oh my god. Were they going easy on me?

I slam the book closed and glare out over the scenery. I don't want them to go easy on me just because I am mortal. I can take a lot of damage—hell, I _have_ taken a lot of damage. I know how to avoid and deflect hits that are going to cause massive damage. I think I know what I am doing by this point.

Then again, if they were being gentler than they normally would have, those fights would have taken a lot longer than they did. And I would not have been able to knock out three of them. I don't really know what to think.

I keep thinking about Loki and the way he fought. There was really no reason why the fight lasted as long as it did. He had to have seen the other fights I had with the other men. He would have known my strengths and weaknesses and should have ended the fight almost immediately. He strikes me as the type of fighter that would rather finish it quickly rather than letting it draw out. So, does that mean he didn't see me fight? If that's the case, then he was gauging what kind of fighter I was. Or at least my skill level. I know I am nowhere near his skill—the guy has been fighting for centuries after all—but he still praised me after the fight. That means something, right? And he didn't use magic to beat me either. So that shows he is an honorable opponent.

This guy is so confusing! Comparing the man I have met to the one I have heard stories about is completely boggling my brain.

And now I have to have a guard. What does that even mean? I should have asked Aunt Jane more questions about this. Does a personal guard go with you everywhere? Or are they just a silent shadow? What if I just wanted to study quietly in the library or go to the ladies room or something? Would they follow me there too? They aren't similar to servants, are they? Am I allowed to talk to them or something? What if I am taking them away from families or something so they can guard me?

I start lightly banging my head against the head of the chair. I can't take it. I have too many questions I need to get answered. I throw the unfinished—well, unstarted too—book onto the little table beside my chair and rush inside and out my room to Uncle Thor and Aunt Jane's room. I knock and pray that Aunt Jane is there. I can't stand not having these questions answered before I get assigned one.

A minute passes and I just about give up before the door swings open. There Aunt Jane stands, covered in a substance I have never seen before. I looks sticky though. And orange. And it is covering her hair and the majority of her upper body. I purse my lips together in an effort not to laugh. She glares at me and that's pretty much all it takes. I start laughing.

"Oh, shut up!" she commands, turning on her heel and walking back into the room. I follow, clutching my stomach as the laughter continues to pour out. Oh my god, she looks so ridiculous!

I collapse into a chair and watch as she comes walking out of the bathroom carrying a basin full of water and a washcloth. Once I am able to get a hold of my laughter, I ask, "What happened?"

"The twins is what happened," she responds, beginning to wipe off the substance from her arms and neck. "Apparently they didn't appreciate not being able to watch you fight today. This is how they took it out on me."

"Ooh, let me guess," I say, jumping up and down slightly in my chair. "Bucket over the door trick?"

"Yep," she confirms, popping the "p" a little. "Over the bathroom door, to be precise."

I shake my head as I continue to watch her slowly mop up the mess left on her. That one is one of the oldest tricks in the book. And yet it still manages to catch people constantly. I haven't been the victim of that in a long time. Dad used to do that to me all the time, so I got into the habit of opening doors and waiting a second before walking through them, especially if they open outwards.

"So," Aunt Jane starts, briefly catching my gaze before going back to cleaning herself up, "to what do I owe the visit?"

Remembering why I came here, I sit up a little straighter in my chair. "Can you explain to me what it means to have a personal guard? I would prefer to know all that it involves before getting one shoved on me and I end up doing something stupid. Like accidentally ordering him or her to go away from a place they have to be, or something."

She laughs softly to herself. "Seems kind of daunting, doesn't it?" I nod in response. I really do not like this. "Getting a personal guard is no more than having an extra shadow." She finishes mopping up the substance from her body and puts the washcloth back into the now orange water. She still has quite a bit in her hair, but only a bath will solve that problem. "There are places where they will not be trailing after you, like your room or when you are with Thor and Frigga. However, anytime you are about the palace without one of them, they will be there to follow and keep you safe."

"So, I don't have to worry about them coming to the bathroom with me?"

"No, of course not," she laughs. "They will go to places with you, but if you want them to, they can stay outside a room rather than being there inside so you can feel some semblance of privacy. As long as they are in shouting distance, it really doesn't matter."

"Are you allowed to speak to them?"

"Of course. Frigga and her guard are very close friends. He has been guarding her since she became Odin's fiancé."

I raise my eyebrows at that. "Wait, why does Frigga need a guard? She can protect herself, right?"

Jane nods. "Odin was very paranoid about her safety when she first moved into the palace. Frigga resented her guard for a very long time before she finally accepted defeat. Now they are like best friends. He has been through everything she has gone through."

I nod in understanding. I still have my reservations though. I quite like my privacy and now that I won't be getting much of that, I can't help but not like this idea. "Charlie," Jane says suddenly, taking both of my hands in hers. "There is nothing to worry about with this. Take this as a chance to get to know someone that isn't a part of the royal family. Trust me when I say this will not disrupt your everyday life. Okay?"

"Okay, Aunt Jane." I squeeze her hands and let go. I snicker again at the ridiculous color of her hair. "I'll go so you can wash that out before your hair permanently becomes orange."

She smirks and stands up, shooing me to the door. "If you happen to see my sons, please give them a noogie from me," she requests before shutting the door. I laugh again. I will admit, setting it up over the bathroom door is pretty smart. No one would really suspect that their own room is booby-trapped until it's too late.

"Hey, Charlie!" The shout rings out through the hall and I turn and watch the two pint-sized tricksters as they run towards me.

"Hey boys! How were your lessons?" I ask as they slide to a halt beside me, panting to catch their breaths again.

"Not nearly as fun as it probably would have been watching you fight," Magni says.

"Yeah, we heard you got to fight Uncle Loki!"

"And that you beat five of the royal army."

"With no weapon!"

"And no magic!"

I laugh and hold my hands up in surrender. "Alright alright, I'll tell you guys all about it!"

Two shouts of triumph are let out and they drag me into their room. "When you're done, can you finish that story you were telling us of Achilles?" Modi asks, as he sets his books down on an end table. "It was so good! And I was so upset when you had to leave and didn't finish the story!"

"Really? I remember two knuckleheads falling asleep on me before I could finish the story," I say, slipping into the couch in their room. I'm surprised they even remember it. I started telling them that story the last time they visited earth about a year and a half ago. It was really just to get them to calm down and to go to bed. It worked at the expense of them not knowing the end. I had to leave for Norway the next day to start a new dig.

"Never mind the details!" Magni says, shoving his brother down into a chair before he takes the one next to it. "Tell us about your battles!"

I laugh and I spend the rest of the afternoon telling them about my battle and of the Battle of Troy.

OoO

"So you mean to tell me that the great Achilles was felled by an arrow to the ankle?" Magni asks, tightening his arms around my neck slightly. I'm carrying him piggyback as we walk down the hallway towards the dining hall. Modi is running along next to us, hitting random pillars with his small sword and yelling about Trojans and Greeks. Telling them the whole story of Troy took a little longer than I thought. The twins are the perfect audience: they oohed and ahhed in all the right places and are never short on questions. I've only reached when Achilles was killed when we were summoned for dinner. Magni immediately jumped on my back, causing me to wince slightly, and here we are.

"Well, it was the only place on his body the River Styx didn't touch," I respond, looking back over my shoulder at his incredulous face. "Remember, that's where his mother held on to him so he wouldn't be swept off into the stream."

"Still," he grumbles, settling his chin on my shoulder. "Doesn't seem like a great way to die."

"Are you kidding?" I exclaim, following Modi through the open door. "He died avenging the death of his lover." I crouch down allowing him to clamber off my back and then meet his eyes. "There is no greater honor than dying for the ones you love. Even if that means you are dying to avenge them rather than protect them."

Magni nods before chasing after his brother. I slowly stand back up. Seems my back is stiffer than I thought. I roll my shoulders trying to get my skin to loosen up while I glance around the room. Frigga, Uncle Thor, and Aunt Jane appear to be locked in an important conversation. Odin is missing. Loki is watching me as I stretch. His gaze unnerves me a little. Hell, almost everything about him unnerves me. I crack my neck and make my way over to the seat beside him. Modi is sitting on his other side.

"Do you honestly believe that?" he asks me quietly as I settle into my seat.

"Believe what?"

"Dying for the ones you love is an honorable death."

I meet his strong gaze unblinkingly. "Yes, I do."

"Why?"

"Why?" I repeat incredulously. "I've seen some amazing things happen because of love. I've seen grandmothers lift cars off of their grandchildren when they were trapped. I've seen an unemotional, unattached woman become the fiercest lover and mother. I have seen a monster be tamed at the thought of hurting the ones he cares about. I've seen the most damaged man stand in between a bullet and his children. Why wouldn't dying for love be honorable?" I search his eyes while I speak, looking for one shred of an emotional response. Something that would indicate that he understands. Unfortunately, he has a better poker face than I do. "In my eyes, dying for love is more honorable than dying because it was your duty."

He breaks eye contact and stares at his plate. I turn away and see that Frigga and Uncle Thor are watching me. I didn't realize we had a small audience. After a small silence that is broken only by the twins squabbling, he responds. "Love is sentiment. Sentiment is weakness."

I glance back at his profile. "You don't really believe that." I don't ask it, I say it. I know that he is lying like I know that I need air to breathe. He didn't look me in the eyes when he said it. Rule number one when telling lies: maintain eye contact and don't flinch.

Before he can respond, Odin enters the room and takes a seat. We all fill our plates with various foods and dig in. I speak with Frigga about my training with Lady Sif. She has requested to spar with me in the mornings, starting a couple days from now. It works for me. Frigga agrees to relay the message to her. Odin asks me various questions about my family. I give a brief explanation about how I was adopted and basically raised by everyone in the Avengers. He seemed to be interested about how I was raised. Well, that's nothing new. Most people are interested about that. You can definitely say that my childhood was _not_ a conventional one.

Overall it was a pleasant dinner. I feel like this is one of the few times the whole family is able to be together in a somewhat normal setting. They are all allowed to drop the royal pretense and relax around each other. I'm just glad I am able to witness it.

Leaning away from the table, I place a hand on my somewhat swollen stomach, indicating without words that I can't possibly eat another bite. Uncle Thor and Magni are working on their third massive sandwich. Frigga and Odin both are done with their food and are discussing something about the palace. Loki and Modi are both finished and appear to be sitting quietly. However, from Modi's small smile, I get the feeling that something else is going on there. Aunt Jane is also eyeing them suspiciously. Considering she has the most experience with dealing with these two, I decide to keep an eye on them. Not even two seconds later, the plate in front of Uncle Thor that was holding a half-eaten chicken springs to life. Uncle Thor and Magni both stop mid-bite and marvel at it as it walks off the table and out the door. We can all hear surprised shouts from the guards standing outside the room. Everyone looks over at them. Loki looks for all the world like an innocent puppy. Modi can barely contain his laughter.

"Who is responsible for that little spectacle?" Frigga asks, her eyes dancing with mirth. You can tell it is taking all of her ability not to smile.

Loki and Modi glance at each other before both shrugging. "It was me, Grandmother," Modi confesses. I glance at him with wide-eyes. I knew the twins were learning magic, but I didn't know they were that good with it already.

Frigga raises her eyebrow at him. "Well done. But try not to cause the guards to have a heart attack, dear. They got plenty of surprises from these two as it was," she finishes, pointing at Thor and Loki. Oh, I can only imagine what those two were like when they were children.

Modi nods in understanding. Loki glances down at him with some pride shining in his eyes. It's subtle, but it's there.

"Okay, boys," Aunt Jane starts, standing up. "Let's go get washed up and you can finish terrorizing the palace, okay?"

Magni and Modi run out of the room with Aunt Jane trailing behind them after saying some farewells. Terrorize the palace indeed.

Odin clears his throat and sits a little straighter in his chair. All of our attention is immediately brought back to him. He turns his head so he can meet my gaze. "Charlie, Frigga and I have decided who it is that shall become your personal guard."

I glance quickly over to Frigga, who looks fairly serene, until you look in her eyes. There is a mischievous little glint there. I can't help but feel like I'm not going to like this. I nod, asking him to continue. "This person is to be your protection against those who would harm you, should you need it. They will guard you when you move about the palace, anywhere you may go. You may discuss boundaries, but realize that if there is a chance these boundaries will impede their ability to protect you, they may be ignored. The only place where they are not needed is the personal wing of the palace and whenever you are with someone in this room." He pauses for a moment. "I trust you understand all that I am telling you. I understand this may seem a little unnecessary, but in these dangerous times it is very necessary."

I glance around the room. Frigga is now very serious, as is Uncle Thor. Loki looks vaguely confused, which sums up how I am feeling. Is something going on that I don't know about? I shake away the thought and nod again at Odin, letting him know that I understand and accept everything he has told me.

He sighs quietly. "Your guard is already in the room with us." I look around the room again. There is no one else in the room besides the royal family. Is the guy invisible? Loki and Uncle Thor look vaguely confused as well and glance around the room with me. Before Odin speaks again, understanding hits me. Oh my god. Please say it isn't who I think it is. Please please _please_.

"Your guard, from now until your stay with us ends, shall be Loki."

It's _him_.


	8. Lines are Drawn

**A/N: Yay another chapter! Sorry about the short hiatus, but work and duties called. Real life sucks. Anyway, this is the longest chapter yet, so I hope you all enjoy! Again, let me know what you all think!**

**Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine. Only Charlie and the plot are completely original. **

Lines are Drawn

Stunned silence meets his declaration. I'm too stunned to really even think about moving besides blinking at the king. I don't know what anyone else's excuse was. All I can think is how I'm stuck with… oh my god, I am stuck with—

God, my own thoughts can't even finish that sentence.

The silence lasts for all of a few moments. Then, an explosion:

"Father, I must insist you rethink this."

"You can't possibly think this is a good idea!"

"I cannot be saddled with her!"

My head snaps to look at Loki. "'Saddled with?'" I quote back at him. "Well excuse me if I am just a waste of time to you."

Our green eyes clash. I'm pretty sure a spark could be lit in the space between our bodies. "If you are asking me to retract my words, you are going to be sadly disappointed," he starts, his glare intensifying. "I do not intend to waste my time babysitting a mortal who could die from a simple infection. Let you be someone else's responsibility."

"Loki!" Frigga exclaims. I'm assuming she has an appalled look on her face from the tone of her voice. I am too busy glaring at the man in front of me to even spare her a glance. I can see Thor standing from his seat out of the corner of my eye. He is watching us carefully, probably ready to intervene in case this turns to blows. I'm not entirely sure that it won't.

"Well excuse me if I am no more worthy than the dirt beneath your boots," I sneer at him.

"You are not."

"Oh, do explain why that is."

"You are mortal. You are fleeting. I am a god."

"Oh, please!" I exclaim, rolling my eyes to the ceiling. "Just because you happen to live for thousands of years does not mean you are a god! Come talk to me after you live for eternity and possess the ability to create life and worlds and universes and the ability to destroy it all. And just because I live for a fraction of what _you_ will does not mean that _I_ am unimportant." I am gripping the arms of my chair so tightly I feel like I could break them off. I need something to hold onto so I don't actually punch him. My body temperature is rising. Not a good sign.

"Of course you are unimportant. What could you possibly accomplish in so little a time?" He looks behind me to the king, basically dismissing me with only a glance. "Give her to a new guard so I do not have to waste my research time."

"I am not something to be shoved off from person to person as a responsibility!" I shout, recapturing his attention.

"Well obviously you are, seeing as your parents shoved you off on my brother without so much as a warning."

Silence rings throughout the dining hall after his statement. I, unfortunately, have nothing to say to that. In fact, it rings a little too close to the truth for me. I immediately shut down. My neutral mask slams over my face like one of my father's Iron Man face plates. I lean back into my chair and let go of the arms to place them in my lap. My blood pressure and temperature immediately goes back down to a somewhat normal level. I just stare at Loki with very cool eyes. I can't let him know that what he just said hurt me.

Granted, it shouldn't have. It's not like I haven't thought that myself a hundred times since my parents made the decision to send me to Asgard. Hell, even when I was a teenager I thought I was no more than a responsibility to my family. Someone that they had to keep an eye on and protect from everything.

I really hate feeling that way.

I finally break eye contact and stare at my lap. A couple seconds tick by before I slowly stand up. Still staring at the table, I turn to Odin. He has a calm face, almost as if he expected this sort of outburst. "Thank you for allowing me at your dinner table, sir, and for your offer of protection while I am in your home." I turn to Frigga and Uncle Thor next. Frigga is staring very pointedly at Loki while Uncle Thor is keeping his eyes on me. "I am going to retire to my room for the night. If you need me for anything, you can find me there." Frigga finally looks up at me with soft eyes. I nod at them both before slowly walking out of the hall. As I leave the doors behind me, I can hear Frigga's soft voice. I don't know what she is saying, or to who. Not that I care right now. I'm too angry to really try and listen in.

I make the short trip back to my room in silence. I close the doors behind me and crawl into my bed. I'm proud to say I made it all the way here before I allow the tears to fall. I clutch a pillow against my chest and stomach and allow my tears to fall relatively silently in the dim room. The sun is already descending beneath the horizon. I watch the flicker of the firelight dance around the walls of my room. I'm trying desperately hard to stop the tears from falling, but once they start, it's very hard to get them to stop.

I don't know why I am allowing what he said to get to me. But, like I said, he confirmed the thoughts I have had since this whole fiasco started. We received the letter from my ex a week ago. The next day, my parents came into my room with the news that I was going to Asgard. There was no discussion about it, no option—I was just going. I've never had too many options when it came to that sort of thing when I was growing up. Unlike other kids, I was never allowed to make plans with friends or go out anywhere spontaneously. And if it was a planned event, it had to at least be a month in advance and with some sort of parental figure there. I'm pretty sure that there was actual S.H.I.E.L.D. surveillance during some of them. I didn't start resenting my parents for it until I was fourteen.

Yes, I can protect myself. Yes, I can take down grown men twice my size. Yes, I can hold my own against some Asgardian warriors. But you would never know it with how my family treats me. I am something to be guarded and protected.

I hate it.

Before I can wallow in too much self-pity, there is a soft knock at the door. I sit up and try to hide the evidence of my tears. "Who is it?" I call out. My voice is shaking a little bit. Damnit.

Instead of a response, my uncle's head pops around the corner of the door. He gives me a half-smile. "May I come in?"

I nod and he enters the room, shutting the door behind him. He climbs into the bed beside me and I cuddle into his side. I rest my head on his chest and listen to his heart beat for a few moments. This is one thing from my childhood that I miss.

We sit in companionable silence before he finally breaks it. "I am sorry for the words my brother spoke to you. They were callous and out of line."

I nod. "You don't need to apologize, Uncle Thor. You didn't say it. And besides, it's not like he hasn't said anything I haven't thought about myself."

"You know that he is wrong, right?" he asks, his arm tightening around my shoulders. "You are not some burden to be passed around. We all love you very much."

I sigh and sit up so I can look at my uncle a little bit more closely. "I know that you all love me, Uncle Thor—I've never questioned that. It's just…" I trail off, not quite sure how to put this. "Ever since I was little I've always been protected by someone. Even when I was older and able to protect myself, I was always around someone who could protect me. Or I had a schedule I had to follow so everyone knew exactly where I was at any given time. Can you blame me for feeling like I am a burden to everyone?"

"You know why we were all so paranoid about your safety when you were younger," he says, his eyebrows furrowing.

I sigh and nod. "Yeah, I know. My first kidnapping made everyone extra paranoid and my second one made everyone downright scared. I do get it." I look down at my lap and finally shake my head. "But, I was six and fourteen. It's a little different when you're twenty-four and you still can't make decisions without your parents go-ahead." I look back up and meet his blue eyes. "That's like Lady Frigga and King Odin telling _you_ you can no longer help to protect the nine realms or can no longer visit Earth."

He chuckles quietly. "Yes, that does seem a little bit silly." He reaches over and pulls me back down so he can ruffle my head a little bit easier. "But you were our first daughter. We have only ever cared about your safety, little one. You are not a burden, and nor shall you be."

"Even with this stupid guard thing?" I ask, looking up at his face again. I at least was able to get a smile from him.

"Especially with this 'stupid guard thing', as you so eloquently put it," he responds. "I probably should not be telling you this—I have not told Jane yet. The reason why my father feels it is important to give you protection is because Asgard has received a threat."

"A threat?" I question. "From who?"

"From another king from one of the other realms. Father does not believe it to be a serious threat, but we must take all eventualities into consideration." He looks down at me. "I agree with him on this account. It may end up becoming an empty threat, like most have in the past. But, I would feel much better knowing that someone is there helping you in case I am unable to."

I narrow my eyes at him. "You said helping me, not guarding me."

He smiles down at me. "If a fight were to break out, I doubt you would go to a safe place. You would be right there in the middle of it all causing chaos in your wake."

I laugh. He's right.

"As it stands, Loki is still assigned as your personal guard—"

"Are you kidding me?" I exclaim, sitting up again. "Was that outburst in there not proof enough? We are _not_ going to be able to get along! We're probably going to end up killing each other!"

He puts his hands up in front of his chest in the "I surrender" gesture. "It is out of my hands, little one. My father believes it will be good for him to be truly exposed to mortality."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"While my brother has gotten close to Jane in the past few years, he still looks down on Midgardians and others within the nine realms as below him. He is still delusional about humanity. My father believes spending time with you on a day-to-day basis will help him realize the folly of these beliefs." He shrugs at me.

I sigh and glance around the room. The sun is officially gone and the stars are shining brightly. "What do _you_ think about that, Uncle Thor? Honestly."

"Truly?" He looks out the window with me, giving it some serious thought. "I once thought the same that my brother does now: that Asgardians were above the other races of the nine realms. It is a very righteous and naïve view of the universe. It was not until I spent time with Jane and my comrades from Earth that I truly realized just how wrong I was." He stops from his self-reflection and meets my gaze again. "It took me being banished and stripped of my heritage to truly understand compassion. I do not feel the same method would work for my brother."

"Why not?"

"Well, he would simply resent the actions placed on him by Father, creating a bigger rift. Also, the people of your world would be able to recognize him and they would probably hunt him down, if the wishes of the Hawk man are any indication."

I giggle in response. Oh, I can think of a few people that would hunt him down back home.

"I feel if he was sent to Earth, he would use someone as leverage to either get his abilities back or he would continue to covet ruling over Earth. The trick is teaching him that humanity is something more special than just a place to rule. That mortals, while weaker than us, are still just as important in the turn of the universe as Asgardians." He pauses, looking out the window again. "That is not an easy lesson to learn. It has been almost twenty Earth years since he last visited Earth, but he is still greatly deluded."

"And your father thinks I can help change that?" I question. That seems like a very tall order to me.

Uncle Thor chuckles again. "Maybe not completely change his opinion, but nudge him in the right direction."

We fall into a comfortable silence. I'm resting on his chest again. A few minutes pass before the door creaks open again. Lady Frigga comes in and smiles down at us on the bed. "I just came to tell you that Loki will be starting his post as your guard starting in the morning, dear."

I raise my eyebrow at her. So he agreed to do it? Great. I'll make sure to make his life a living hell. "How long did it take you to convince him to do it?" I ask. I genuinely want to know.

She smiles. "Oh, not too long. A mother has her ways of getting her children to do what she wants them to." With that, she wishes us both a good night and leaves. I sigh again. Now I really want my stay to be short. Odin may think I can help Loki's self-righteous mind-set, but I certainly don't think so. I'm a hot-headed archaeologist who is better at fighting than I am at beating someone with logic. How the hell am I supposed to show him that mortals are no different than Asgardians?

"Hey, Uncle Thor? Can you tell me of the Battle of New York again? I love the way you tell the story, and I really need to think about something other than this for a while." I get a small smile in response and listen to his deep rumble for the next hour. I drift off somewhere around when the Hulk and Uncle Thor were fighting side-by-side. Too bad. I really like that part.

OoO

I jerk myself awake. I was starting to fall into one of my nightmares. I'm not usually able to pull myself out of one of my nightmares, but I will take what I can get. The stars are still shining outside my window. It's only the middle of the night, but I can't think of going back to sleep now. I pull myself out of the bed and wander towards the door. If I can't sleep, I might as well wander a bit and try and get my thoughts in order.

When I leave my room, I stare at the door on the other side of the hallway. Well, I suppose one convenient thing about having Loki as my bodyguard is that he sleeps across the hall and I know I'm not taking him away from any family. I don't feel guilty about that at least.

I turn away and head off deeper into the palace. I wish I could get these thoughts out of my head just as easily. Let's face it, Loki and I are _not_ going to get along. I could be like my Pops and just hope for the best with this situation. He would tell me to take it one day at a time and to try and put myself in Loki's shoes, or something philosophical like that. I'm just more like Dad though. I wasn't always pessimistic about people and situations. Neither was he. But, I guess, we have both been through bad things that make us see the world for what it is: a pretty dark place.

Our world calls Loki the god of mischief and lies. I've always considered mischief to be a two-sided coin: one side is the playful prankster that is out to get a laugh, much like the twins with their silly attempts at outsmarting the adults around them. The other side of that coin is complete chaos. It is what is left over after the prank is done and you have to deal with the consequences. The twins are still young enough that they get laughter and maybe a light punishment. But there are those times when they are being chased down the halls by someone because of one of their pranks. It's the fight that is sure to break out. If Loki is the one who stands for all of this on our world, then how can I trust him as my guard here? Obviously I don't believe all of the old Norse myths about the man, but I do know the stories of what he has done here and on Earth. Can I trust the person that used anyone and anything to get him further in life to protect me if I need it?

God, I really hope I don't need him to protect me. Now my thoughts lead me to what my Uncle mentioned earlier. A threat, huh? Who would have the ability or the audacity to threaten Asgard? I have a general understanding of the other realms based on what my uncle has told me. I don't know their histories or anything like that, but I know the races that rest on each realm and how evolved they are. While very few worlds are on the same level as Asgard, most if not all of them are more advanced than Earth. We seem to be the new kids on the block. But that takes me back to the original question: who would be able to threaten Asgard and actually be able to back up the threat?

Nobody comes to mind. If anything it reminds me of the tales Lady Frigga told me when I was young of the Dark Elves and the war that was waged to stop them. But they were wiped out, so they can't be the threat. It can't be Jotunheim, they have no way to transport to Asgard without the casket. Then again, how could any realm attack Asgard? I was under the belief that only Asgard had a bridge like the bifrost. So even if this threat could back it up, how are they going to get here?

Now I understand why Odin and Uncle Thor don't believe this threat is really serious.

I feel a breeze rip through my thin shirt and pull myself out of my thoughts to look around. I appear to be in some outdoor courtyard. Well, more like a fenced in field. I can vaguely see targets on the far end of the field. The white of the targets shine under the two moons that are above me. I look around and see bows and arrows lining one of the walls. I appear to have found a practice range. Shrugging my shoulders, I decide to start practicing a little. I did promise Uncle Clint I would practice.

And besides, if I get really good at archery, I can actually shoot Loki with an arrow for my uncle. But only if he's being particularly annoying.

Smirking to myself, I nock an arrow and take aim at the closest target. I think it's only fifteen yards away, but I am a terrible shot. Highly ironic considering I am actually quite good with throwing knives. I let the arrow fly after a second and watch as it hits the outer edge of the target. Man, I really do suck.

I let my body get used to the rhythm of practice: nock the arrow, take aim, fire. I miss the target every single time. After five more arrows, I walk over to the target and collect the shot arrows from the edges of it and the ones that riddle the ground. Walking back, I decide that maybe I should just picture Loki's face as the target. I'm still pissed that he made me cry. Narrowing my eyes, I take aim. I picture the arrow piercing through that stupid forehead and let the arrow fly. Instead of it going where it was supposed to, it flies far over the target and lands in the grass somewhere behind it. So much for that idea.

"You really are a terrible shot."

I jump at the sudden voice and spin around to face the intruder. I forgot my knife in my room. Stupid and careless. I hold up the bow in a defensive stance and look at the man sitting casually against the stone partition. It is about waist high. I immediately recognize him and relax.

"Jotun man," I say as a form of greeting after breathing out a sigh. "We seriously need to stop meeting like this."

"Like what?" There is a smirk on his face and I know he knows what I am talking about.

"Like you are trying to scare the life out of me." I turn back towards the target and nock another arrow. "No longer feeling like staring at your history?"

I see him stand up from the corner of my eye. "Felt like wandering around myself." I let the arrow fly and watch it land in the dirt right beside the target. I scowl at it. Just once I would like to hit the actual target. "You're too tense," he says suddenly.

I look over at him. "What?"

"You're too tense," he repeats, walking a little closer to me. He still keeps some distance from me though. "You hold the bow too tight and your shoulders are tensed as if you are expecting a blow. Relax both and the arrow will fly true."

I raise my eyebrow at him. He just nods his head at the target. Sighing, I nock another arrow and get into position. He walks behind me, obviously looking at my stance. "Relax your shoulders. Lower your arm so it is parallel to the ground. And lessen your grip on the bow." He doesn't touch me, just quietly commands my body into the right position. "Now keep both eyes open and look along the shaft of the arrow. Breathe in." I do. "Hold." A second goes by and I stand there, waiting. "Release."

The arrow flies and sinks straight into the second circle. I cry out in triumph. It may not have hit the target, but that's the closest I have ever gotten. There is a quiet chuckle from behind me. I turn and smile at him. "Thank you! That's the closest I ever gotten to hitting a target!"

He bows his head. Deciding to leave it for the night, I go and collect the arrows and put them all back where I found them. Walking back over to him, I jump up and sit on the same partition that he was lounging against when he first found me. He walks over and sits beside me, still far enough that there is no way we could accidentally bump into each other. I think I freaked him out a little bit the other night.

"Why exactly are you practicing archery this late at night?" he asks, looking over at me.

I meet his red gaze. "Couldn't sleep." I shrug. I don't feel like explaining my nightmares to a complete stranger. "I'm a little restless and a lot has happened today. I just needed to think."

He nods in response. "I was informed of your battle earlier today." I raise my eyebrow again after he stops talking.

"What about my battle?"

He smiles. "You left quite an impression upon those you fought."

"Is that so?" I question. "I hope it was a good impression, at least."

"Well, the men you fought said you are a formidable opponent, even without a weapon." He looks out over the archery field. "However, I heard you were unable to defeat the prince."

I sigh and look away. "I don't think I was meant to beat him." I notice him watching me out of the corner of my eye and look back at him. "How could I possibly defeat someone who has been training to fight since he was a child? And the fact that he didn't use his magic also raises a red flag." He gives me a confused look at the saying. "He didn't use magic which I know is a central part to his fighting style. I know I wasn't meant to beat him. It was only to assess my skills as a fighter." I sigh again. "And now I am stuck with him."

"Yes, I did hear that the prince was now to be your guard." He smirks slightly.

I glare in response. "Yeah. And we are going to end up killing each other."

I get a chuckle. "Why do you think that?"

I give him a deadpan look. "You weren't there when Odin broke the news. He dismissed me like I was nothing and then blatantly told me I was no more than a burden to those who loved me." I break eye contact and look down at the ground. "I don't want to be a burden to those around me. And if that is all I am to him, how do I know he will actually protect me if the time comes that I need it?"

"He hurt you," he whispers, almost as if he was coming to a realization. I glance up at him, wide-eyed. I didn't realize I had let my hurt feelings show so easily.

I laugh and shrug. "He didn't hurt me. It's not like he didn't say anything I wasn't already thinking."

He grins. It's not a happy grin. It is more like a grin that you give when you are humoring someone. "You're lying."

I glare and turn away. I am not about to talk about my feelings with a stranger. I have a hard enough time doing that with my family, let alone complete strangers. "Yeah, well. That's neither here nor there. The point is that we're stuck with each other until I can go home and it is going to be a living hell."

He grunts and lets the topic die. I glance at him out of the corner of my eye. "You know," I start, "I never did get a name from you."

I receive a genuine smile this time. He stands up and starts walking away. Before he can disappear around the corner, he turns and looks back at me. "Have a good night, Charlie. And good luck." And with that, he walks away, leaving me in the courtyard. I still can't quite figure him out. I wonder if I will ever get his name.

But at the very least, it appears I've made a new friend in this strange world. And I met him all on my own. That's pretty amazing.


	9. The First Day

**A/N: Oh look! Two Chapters in one day! Consider this a Christmas gift! Anyway, enjoy the chapter and of course, let me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I seriously hope you all get this by now.**

The First Day

If I end up not killing him before the day is through, it will be a freaking miracle.

Today has been the worst day yet. And I can blame one particular Asgardian who has been a major thorn in my side since the day began. After last night's mini adventure, I ended up back in my room. I stayed the rest of the night sitting outside and gazing at the stars. It's easy to forget about your problems when you are watching a night sky that is different from your own. I was able to forget about all of my problems for just a little while and draw pictures in the stars. And I got to watch the sunrise. The only difference between Earth and Asgardian sunrises is the fact that the stars never actually fade from the sky—not completely. It's still just as beautiful. After that, I went back into my room, grabbed a book and read for a few hours.

That's when everything went to hell.

I was quietly sitting in front of my fireplace, reading and listening to my music on a fairly low volume, minding my own business when in walks the prince in all of his green and black glory. I heard my door open but I didn't turn and look. I could tell who it was through the reflection of the glass of the windows that were next to me. I didn't turn to acknowledge him or anything. Frankly, there was no reason for him to even be in my room in the first place. So I just sat there, eyeing his reflection out of the corner of my eyes, head bent as if I was still reading, and my Starkpod still playing the Rolling Stones.

After quickly scanning my room, he marched straight towards me. Before he could reach the couch though, I speak up. "Can I help you with something?"

He stopped in front of me and looked down at me. I plopped one of my headphones out of my ear and just looked up at him, eyebrow raised in question. We had a mild staring match before he finally decided to answer my question. "We're going to the library. Hurry up and get changed so we can leave."

I shut my book closed and continued to stare up at him. "Actually, _we_ are doing no such thing," I respond, giving him cool eyes. "I really don't want to go to the library. In fact, I was planning on staying here all day." That wasn't a lie. I really was planning on staying in my room. I'm still very sore from the previous days' beating and I really wanted to just stretch and relax before I train with Sif the next morning. I really need my back to be flexible which requires a lot of yoga. However, Loki did not seem to believe me.

"As your new guard," he started, grimacing slightly at the word guard. I could just see him replace the work with babysitter in his own head, "I am obligated to follow you if you leave this wing of the palace. As it stands, if I simply leave you behind and do whatever I wished with my time, I would be failing in my new unwanted duty." I glared at him. I don't want you to have this job either, buddy. "So, you are going to join me at the library."

I gave him a pretty sarcastic grin. If he honestly thinks I am just going to roll over and submit to his will, he has another coming. "Really? Because it was my understanding that I give the orders in this new found relationship we've got here." I stood up to give myself a little bit more of an intimidation factor. He's still at least a head taller than me, but I felt better glaring at him now that I was a little bit closer to his head. "If you want to go to the library, be my guest. But I am _not_ going with you."

With that, I turned away from him and stalked my way into my closet, shutting the door in his face. Either way, I still need to change from yesterday's clothes. As I perused the collection, I bend backwards trying to stretch out the skin of my back. It had tightened up quite a bit from me sitting in one position for hours on end. I finally decided to wear my black skinny jeans with a green long-sleeved top. I strapped a pair of knee-high boots on and a pair of knives onto my forearms. I braid my hair down my back so it stays out of my way. I made sure that the sun necklace is attached to my neck before walking back out into my room.

It appeared as if he had finally left. Sighing in relief I headed back towards the couch to try and finish my book. However, before I could reach it, an arm grabbed me around my waist and hoisted me up onto a strong shoulder. "Hey!" I shouted out in surprise and indignation. I twisted around to see the back of Loki's black hair and immediately start flailing. "Put me down!" I could easily get out of this position, but I really didn't want to start a fight. Or snap his neck. But I wasn't going to make this transport easy for him.

Yelling at him certainly wasn't working. As he carried me past hall after hall, I got the joy of seeing the confused and shocked faces of the people we passed. Some faces were highly amused. I wanted to punch them all for finding amusement in this. I did not think it was funny. He ignored my punches and shouts like they weren't even happening and he was using his arms to keep my legs pinned and still.

A few more minutes of me shouting obscenities to the back of his head and we entered the library. To say this place was big would be the understatement of the century. The library was bigger than anything I have ever seen. It completely dwarfs the New York Public Library and could give the Natural History Museum a run for its money on sheer size. Seeing it for the first time made me still and gape in awe. Loki just kept walking, completely ignoring my apparent surprise. Before I could process what was going on, he dumped me into a chair unceremoniously and started to walk away.

"Ow," I growled out. "And where do you think you're going?"

He turned around and gave me a creepy smile. "Shhh, it's a library," he whispered at me before stalking off.

It was at this point that I decided I should decide how I should kill him first.

To say it was a tense and uncomfortable morning is like saying that the Sun is big. By the time I had finally had enough of the library scene, it was midafternoon and I had decided that strangling him would probably give me the most satisfaction. Loki appeared to be deeply engrossed in a book covered in runes and I was quietly reading a book about Vanaheim. Well, reading implies I was paying attention to what the book was saying. I absorbed maybe 2% of what I had read. The rest of the time I was plotting how to maim and kill Loki mixed in with glaring at him.

I finally slammed the book closed. "I'm hungry," I said, crossing my arms across my chest and staring at him pointedly.

"You should have come to breakfast then," he responds, never taking his eyes off of the book in front of him.

I roll my eyes in response. "I wasn't hungry then. I am now." I could just get up and leave. He would have to follow me. But I feel like pissing him off first.

"Well that's too bad."

"You should take me to the kitchens, find me food."

"Do it yourself."

"It's your job to protect me, Loki. You don't want me to die from starvation, do you?"

"You would hardly die from starvation." At this, he finally looked up from his book and looked me up and down. Just the way he did it immediately made my hackles rise. His eyes were very much implying something that you should never imply to a woman. I tried my best to shake it off though. I was not going to snap before he did.

"Are you so sure?" I ask. "After all, I'm just a weak mortal woman that could die so easily from something like lack of food."

He rolled his eyes and drew his gaze back to his book. "Quit your whining. You can wait a little while longer for dinner."

"Whining?" I questioned. "Oh, this is not whining. This is complaining." Then using my most annoying high-pitched, spoiled little girl voice, I showed him exactly what whining was. "This is whining! I want food! And this place is soooo boring! How can you be so mean to me?"

Loki cringed away from me and I continued the wail. While the library was by no means full, there were still plenty of people that were glancing over at us. I was being quite loud. That little sadistic part of me was dancing around inside my head doing the victory screech. I can be a bitch when I really want to be.

"Fine!" he shouted out, interrupting my whiny rant. "I will take you to get food."

"Good!" I pop up from my chair and head towards the exit. "So where exactly is the kitchen, oh loyal guard?" I ask laying on the sarcasm.

He led me there in silence. That was probably a good thing. I made myself a small sandwich with the cooks looking over my shoulder the entire time. They weren't hostile or anything. I think they were trying to keep an eye out on me so I didn't eat too much. Dinner was in a few more hours. But, now that I knew where the kitchen was, I wasn't exactly planning on showing up to dinner. I really just wanted to get back to my room so I didn't need to be around Loki anymore. His impatience while I ate was rolling off of him in waves. So, I, of course, deliberately ate my sandwich as slow as I could.

The rest of the afternoon goes by in relative silence on both of our parts. That is, until now.

We are walking back to the family's wing of the palace so Loki could join his family for dinner. I'm not feeling hungry so I plan on just going back to my room for the day so I can do my yoga exercises and attempt to relax. I also need to try and sleep tonight so I can be ready for my training in the morning. Maybe a bath will help me relax enough so I can sleep comfortably. At least I hope it will help to loosen my skin a bit. It's starting to become uncomfortable. We walk up to the hall where he is going to turn whereas I keep walking straight. Before I can get far, he stops me.

"Where are you going?"

I stop walking, but I don't turn around. I am so completely done. "I am going to my room. Enjoy your dinner." Oh, look. I _can_ be civil.

Before I can continue to keep walking, he materializes in front of me. I glare at him. "For someone who was complaining about being hungry earlier, I would expect you to be quite famished by now."

"Yeah, well, I'm not." I cross my arms and pop a hip. I don't care about being formal or proper anymore. He is now standing in between me and my bath. That is not okay. "Now please move."

"You will join us for dinner."

I am getting really sick of him ordering me around. "No, no I will not. And for future reference, if you want to get me to do something, try asking me, not commanding me. I am not someone you can order around." I try to walk around him but he just steps in my way again. I'm starting to get frustrated again. "I was under the impression I didn't need to have you around when I was in this part of the palace. So feel free to leave at any time."

He glares at me. I don't think he likes it when I order him around either. But, hey, I have that ability now. Even if he hasn't followed a single thing I've asked him to do, I can still tell him to leave me the hell alone if I want. "Do not make me repeat myself," he finally says with a menacing look. I will admit, it is a frightening look. But I don't let people's glares influence what I do.

"Go find someone else to terrorize," I hiss back. "It won't work on me. And if you're so damn concerned about me eating, just order someone to bring me another sandwich. I don't really care. I'm just trying to get the hell away from you."

"Am I that repulsive to you?" he asks.

I roll my eyes in response. "Oh please. Don't think that you are that high up on my opinion scale. You just happened to insult me and piss me off all at once so I really don't want to be around you. And besides, you've made it perfectly clear you don't want to be around me either. Consider this me granting your wish." I curtsy in a mocking way and attempt to get around him again.

He grabs my arm with enough force to stop me in my tracks. I turn my glare onto his hand. He really needs to let me go before I do something I will regret. "You _will_ do as you are told, mortal," he hisses into my ear.

That's it! I've had enough. I twist my arm out of his grasp and unsheathe one of my knives. I spin to face him head on. However, before I could do anything else, I am thrown back and slammed into the wall behind me. It was such a sudden force I was unable to brace myself. The force of me hitting the wall makes me drop the knife and knocks the wind right out of me. A force is keeping me held against the wall. I glare at Loki who's hand is glowing green just slightly as it is held out at me. I know immediately he is the one pinning me to the wall. I feel my body temperature flare up. It takes all of my ability to keep myself in line.

I glare at him as he slowly walks toward me. He matches my glare with equal malice. "Do not begin to think you could ever be on the same level as me," he finally says. "I am superior to you in every way. I am a god and you are a mortal who will do as I say when I say it. Do you understand?"

I spit at him. Not very refined, but it gets the message across. I will not submit to him. Not now, not ever.

"Loki! Put her down this instant!" a voice rings out from down the hall. Both of our heads twist to see Lady Frigga marching up towards us. I breathe a sigh of relief. I will never give in to his Lord High and Mighty, but it does not mean I can compete with him either. He has abilities I will never possess. Frigga does not have those same limitations, and she's his mother.

Before she can get too close, Loki takes a few steps back from me and lowers his hand. The green light disappears and I slide down the wall onto my feet. I return my glare back at him. I immediately walk forward and punch him in the face. His head reels back from the force of my strike and I smile in satisfaction at the surprise on his face.

"Charlie!" Frigga reprimands me when she finally reaches us. I feel slightly guilty for punching her son in front of her, but not enough to apologize. I feel better at least.

Frigga simply shakes her head at the both of us. Before Loki can open his mouth to try and give lies to the situation, I speak up. "I'd recommend getting away from me, Loki, before I actually try and kill you." I smile sweetly up at his face and turn back to Frigga. "I'm going to my room. I don't think I can handle being in the same room as your son right now." Without receiving an answer from either one of them, I turn on my heel and stomp my way back to my room. I slam my door shut—well, attempt to slam. That door is very heavy. I pace my room in a seething rage.

See? There is absolutely no way this is arrangement is going to work.

A few hours pass. I do my yoga stretches, I soak in the bath for an hour, I accomplish everything I wanted to. My rage slowly descends from a raging inferno to a simmering boil. I sit in front of the fire in my room and stare into it, trying to get myself to calm down. Just the fact that it is taking me this long to do just that is unnerving. Usually I don't fly into a rage that fast. And I am pretty quick to calm down. Uncle Bruce says my anger is like a long dormant volcano: it erupts all at once, but then immediately calms down. It takes a lot of pressure to get me to that point, but give me one little shove and it sets me off. But this… this is more like the active volcanoes of Hawaii—and I can't get the lava to stop flowing.

Lady Frigga enters my room while I am meditating before the fire. She takes a seat next to me and joins me in my contemplation. I finally look over to her. "I'm sorry for being so rude earlier," I mumble. "It has been a long day trying to deal with your son."

She nods. "I can imagine." She looks back into the fire. "May I ask what it was that set you both off so violently?"

I sigh and also look back towards the flickering light. "He was commanding me. I am not the type of person to just follow anyone's command unless I trust them or know them to be a good person." I lean my head back against the head of the sofa. "Add the insults and I just couldn't take it anymore." I see her nod out of the corner of my eye. I close them and think back on today. "I was raised to be stubborn," I start, trying to explain why I just can't get along with Loki. "I was raised to make my own decisions and follow my heart. Your son has a strong will, and that's good. But he has no compassion or empathy for how he executes his will. I will not bend to it."

She chuckles quietly. I reopen my eyes and look at her. "You remind me of myself when I was young. You have the soul of a queen in you." I look at her incredulously. Is she kidding? Seeing my look, she rolls her eyes at me. "It takes a strong will and stubborn spirit for a girl to get what she wants. You are a warrior, a woman who is as strong as the blade she wields. But," she continues, holding up a finger in warning," sometimes you need to be pliable, like a chain. If you stand too strong against an opposing force, you will shatter."

"Are you saying I should just follow your son's commands?"

"No." She smiles gently and cups my face. "I'm saying you need to compromise with him. My son has the same strong will and stubborn spirit. If the two of you continue to clash and refuse to bend, you both will break. I do not want to see two of my most precious people be broken over stubborn will." She kisses my cheek and stands up. "Lady Sif will come to collect you for your training in the morning. Loki will not be with you tomorrow, so use this time to reflect on my words." With that, she leaves.

I stare back into the flames of the fire. My anger has left me in one quick rush. I have a lot to think about.

**A/N: I just want to take the time to wish you all a Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Happy Kwanzaa! Happy whatever you celebrate this time of the year! Thank you all for being so kind and reviewing this story or just following it! It's your reviews and follows/favorites that keep me writing and are the best gift I could ever receive. Please be safe this holiday season. I wish you all a happy day, full bellies, and being surrounded by loved ones! **

**Happy Holidays! **


	10. Understanding Well, Kinda

**A/N: Well, I started writing this chapter at 9 last night and stopped to try and get some sleep. I obviously can't stop writing in the middle of a chapter because here it is almost three in the morning, and I finished it. *sigh* Well, I hope you guys like it. Not really any action in this, just girl talk mostly. **

**Enjoy and let me know what you all think!**

**Disclaimer: ... see previous chapters.**

Understanding... Well, Kinda

You'd think that because I am so good with knives of almost any width and type I would be good with a sword.

You would be dead wrong.

I'm laying on my back in the middle of the sunlit courtyard, staring up at the blue, star covered sky and panting, trying to catch my breath. I had just been thrown on my back by Sif after my failed attempt at charging her head on. She threw me back using her small shield and pure muscle. Sif is only a couple inches shorter than I am, but damn is she much stronger. She wields her shield and her sword as if they are extensions of her very body. I can do the same with my daggers, but this sword that I have in my hand is so freaking big and heavy. We've been practicing for most of the morning, but I still can't get used to its weight.

Sif walks over to me and watches me as I attempt to catch my short breath. She smirks down at me. "Not so easy, is it?"

"How is it," I pant, letting the handle of the weapon fall from my grip," that a sword can be so much more difficult to wield than a dagger?"

Her smirk grows into a genuine smile. She takes a seat beside me, giving me time to catch my breath. "Well, for one, the weight is greater than in a dagger or even a short sword. Not only that, but you have to deal with much of the weight being in the blade rather than distributed evenly between the handle and the blade, like most other types of blades. There are swords that have a good balance, but most are broken easily when crossing against a heavier weapon. Also, using a sword is much harder than using a knife. A knife can easily be switched between hands and positions, can be thrown. Swords cannot."

I nod. I know all of this already. You just don't realize this until you actually have a sword in your hands rather than the knives that are usually there. "So, why does Fandral use such a thin sword?" I ask, genuinely curious. I've seen his sword before. It looks like something a fencer would use on earth.

"Fandral's sword is made of a much denser element than just iron," Sif replies. "This allows his weapon to stay strong against any weapon."

Silence envelopes us for a few minutes. My breathing is finally starting to slow down, thank god. It's sad how I'm the only winded one here. Sif doesn't even look like she broke a sweat. So not fair.

Once I get my breathing to a manageable level, I sit up and look over to her. "So, does your weapon have any magical ability like Uncle Thor's hammer?"

She looks down to her shield and sword. "Yes, they do. My shield mends any damage done to it almost immediately and my sword can become a double sided sword and can create an electrical current. Not like Mjolnir, mind you. The hammer is able to create lightning. My sword can cause an electric shock than can either shock my opponent or kill them." She glances back up at me. "All weapons have a magical power to them, ranging from small to great."

"Is it the weapons themselves that have the magic ability?"

"Not quite." She looks off to the side, as if trying to figure out a way to explain something in a way that I will understand. "I overheard Thor explaining it to Lady Jane like this: we all have magic within us. Asgardians are taught when we are children to bring it forth so we can harness it. However, unless we study for long periods of time or just have an inherent skill at it, most of us have a difficult time bringing out. Our weapons are able to better take our magical ability and manipulate it."

"So, if I'm understanding this right, your weapons are just taking the magic you all possess and harnessing it in a way that will help you in battle."

"That is exactly right."

I nod. "But what about when you aren't battling? Do you use magic then?"

She sighs quietly. "Not many of us do. Like I said, harnessing our magic comes as a challenge for most. It takes extensive study and hours of practice to use it in even a small way. Most Asgardians study the art so they can use magic in small ways off the battlefield, but most abandon these studies. Those that do not are usually scholars." She glances around the busy courtyard. There are many people out practicing with various types of weapons. Many are giving off sparks and the ringing of metal on metal can be heard echoing off of the stone walls. Other than the electrical charges, I don't see any other forms of magic being thrown about. "The two biggest exceptions are Lady Frigga and Loki."

"Exceptions?"

"Lady Frigga is the most well-learned magic user in the realm," she says, a small smile tugging on her lips. "She taught us all as children about magic and the importance of it in our blood. She encouraged us to always learn and utilize it in our lives." Her smile falls away and her face becomes serious. "Loki uses magic like a weapon itself. His ability with magic has always been far superior to any of us. He is cunning and sly, just like the element he so freely wields."

"You make it sound like many do not like magic that well."

"Many do not. Asgardians believe in attacking dead on with brute and honest force. Magic is often used to do the exact opposite." She leans back on her elbows and looks up to the sky. "I suppose that is why people have always been so wary of Loki, even before he tried to take the throne."

Well now my interest is piqued. "What _was_ he like before everything?"

She smirks. "Quiet." I laugh. That was not what I was expecting to hear. She laughs as well. "I suppose I should elaborate. Compared to Thor, he was as quiet as a mouse. He didn't really stand out. And he wouldn't. He wasn't big and brawny with a big weapon to swing around. He usually kept to himself with his books. But we all knew that if there was a battle to be fought, Loki would have to be there. He was and is deadly smart with a tongue like quicksilver. His magic was invaluable in many battles and saved our lives more than once." She pauses and the mood changes again to a serious one. "We all picked on him but never too seriously. We all knew that he was Thor's favorite. If Thor had to pick one person to go into battle with, he would pick Loki every time."

"Do you think Uncle Thor would still?"

"I do not know. Loki has been grounded since he was brought back to Asgard with almost all of his magic stripped away. Thor has been forced to take other warriors in his brother's place because of his restrictions. However, Loki recently got the majority of his powers back. I do not doubt it was because of your arrival."

"Mine?" I question. I watch as she stands up and picks up the sword I was using. She re-sheaths it and gives me a hand up.

"Yes, yours. Do you honestly think it was a coincidence that you arrive and he is made your guard?" She raises an eyebrow at me. "The king and queen knew of your arrival a few days before you actually arrived. I believe they came to this decision long before two days ago."

That makes an awful amount of sense. Especially considering Uncle Thor believes I am supposed to help with his redemption. So if his parents really believed I could help, then of course they would make that decision way before I actually arrived.

Sif hands me the sword and I grip it in my hand. We both turn towards the interior of the palace and begin the long walk back to the royal wing of the palace. "Speaking of Loki," I start, twisting the sword in my hands, "how am I supposed to get along with him?"

Sif laughs. "Yes, Thor told me of yesterday's escapades."

"Frigga told him, didn't she?" At her nod I sigh. Figures. "Well, I'm sure you didn't hear about the whole day." At her curious look, I fill her in about everything that happened yesterday, from when he barged into my room to when I punched him. She seemed to find the majority of it highly amusing. By the time I was done, we were seated in the dining room, fixing ourselves lunch. After that arduous morning, I was very hungry and everything looked so good. I didn't know where to start.

I finish by telling her of what Frigga had told me. She was nodding her head in agreement while she chewed quietly on a sandwich. "I know that I should try and compromise with him, I just don't know how. I will not just follow his commands like a common slave!" I take a savage bite out of an apple and watch as she lowers her eyes to her plate in thought.

She swallows and looks back up. "You both have been put into an unwanted situation: he certainly did not want to take time away to guard a mortal and what you know of Loki has made you wary enough that you want to keep your distance from him, which is understandable. However, picking fights with him is not a wise course of action." I open my mouth to protest but her stern look shuts me up before I could even start. "You may not want to admit this, but it is nothing more than his restraint and honor that was preventing him from hurting you yesterday. It is easy to blame him for the unpleasant situation, but it is not true. And it is just as easy for him to blame you. The only advice I can give you is to confront him with no more than your words. No sarcasm, no higher motives. Find him and speak to him."

I sigh. I munch on my apple for a few moments. I know she is right. I was awake the entire night before thinking about it all. I know I was being entirely too childish. I may be twenty-four but I still get shocks of pure immaturity that can rival that of a spoiled brat. I was taking my frustration and anger of the situation out on him. It didn't help that he treated me like crap when the news broke out too. He basically solidified himself as a scapegoat for my anger. Not that that is any excuse for my actions. If anything, I owe him an apology.

I just really don't want to seek him out.

I groan and hang my head. "I'm gonna have to be the bigger person, aren't I?"

Sif chuckles. "Yes, that would be a wise course of action."

I sigh and lift my head back up. "So, all I have to do is find him, apologize, and see what happens?"

"It would also be a good idea to take the time to set some ground rules with him that you can both agree on. Compromise with him will not be easy, but setting a routine may be a good idea until you are on more solid ground with your new relationship."

I nod. Yeah, that's probably a good idea. And maybe I can get him to stop commanding me around at least.

God, I really am Tony Stark's daughter.

She pauses for a moment to take a drink. "As it stands, I would like to continue your training. I believe it would be a better idea to get you trained on a short sword before moving on to a heavier weapon. It may come more naturally to you too."

"How big is a short sword?" I ask somewhat warily. Now that I haven't been using the heavy weapon for a while, my arm is starting to complain. Loudly. I can feel my muscles start to become sore. It's been a long time since my arms were sore from practice.

She smiles at my obvious discomfort. "It is no longer than your forearm. It is longer than a dagger though, so it will take some time and practice to really master the weapon. Lady Frigga is also very well versed with a short sword, so she could also help you in case there are weeks I cannot come."

I cock my head in confusion. "Why wouldn't you be able to come?"

"The realms are not always peaceful. There are times where we warriors are sent to settle skirmishes to the realms that ask for our aid. As such, I intend to train you every week at the same time as today. If I should be called upon to fight, you can ask Lady Frigga to train you or you may run through some drills I will give you to practice on your own."

"Okay," I agree.

I spend the rest of the afternoon in my room reading on my balcony and avoiding the task I had set upon myself. I stretched out my arms when I got back to my room after placing the sword with the other weapons in my closet and promptly ignored the nagging voice in the back of my head telling me I should just get the confrontation over with. Nope, I am going to put it off for as long as I can. I watch the sun set beneath the ocean and watch the pinpricks of stars shine even brighter in the twilight sky.

Okay, I don't think I can put this off any longer. If I don't do it now, then I will never do it and we will have another catastrophic day tomorrow. I close the book on my lap and walk out my door. I stop in the middle of the hallway. I have no idea where he might be. I seriously wish JARVIS was here—I could just ask him and I would have an answer immediately. As it stands, I'm standing in the middle of a vast hallway looking like an idiot and not knowing where to start.

I suppose I could look for him at the library. He seems to spends most of his time there anyway. However, that requires leaving the private section of the castle and I can't do that without my guard. Well, I could, but then he would probably get in trouble which would lead to him blaming me and then another miserable day. I would really prefer not to deal with that, so I won't go to the library. I'll just check the dining hall, see if he's eating.

After making the short trip, I come to discover that no one is in the dining hall. Sigh. I walk back and think about asking one of the random people walking by to just give him a message that I want to speak to him. Maybe they know where he is. I throw that idea away too, though. I don't want to inconvenience someone else simply because I could not find my guard. I look at the doors speckling the hallway. My eyes are immediately drawn to the green door across from my dark blue one.

I can be really dense sometimes.

Shaking my head at my own stupidity, I walk towards his door and knock. If he doesn't answer then I'll just leave him a note. I wait a couple minutes before the big door swings open. There isn't anyone there. I roll my eyes at the blatant display of power and walk in, the door shutting behind me.

His room is as big as the other rooms in this hall. Meaning, it's as big as my room. Way more cluttered though. I don't mean messy: I mean he's got a lot of stuff. Just like in my room, he has a wall filled with books and tomes of various languages and sizes covering the expansive space with a fireplace centered in the middle of it. He has a desk and a massive bed as well. However, that is where the similarities end. There are weapons of all types decorating the empty spaces of the walls, as well as maps of Asgard and other various worlds. Columns are placed strategically holding what I can only assume are valued pieces of art that he has collected over the years. His desk is the only messy area of the room: it is covered with piles of books and written documents are strewn about haphazardly. It appears he just dumps those items there than actually using it.

And the color scheme is green and black and gold. Big surprise there.

I spy him sitting on one of the chairs by the fireplace. He appears to be reading casually. I walk over and continue to look around. He does have a lot of cool stuff. I spy a golden horned helmet on a column over by the doorway to his balcony. The doors are open and a breeze is causing the sheer green curtains to billow slightly. I trace the Celtic knots that adorn a supporting column in the middle of the room as I pass it. I come to a stop beside his chair and wait for him to acknowledge me. I'll try not to be rude as I am in his domain. There may be a trapdoor underneath my feet and I would never know it.

After what feels like an eternity, he looks up at me. His eyes are cool and a shiver runs down my spine at the coldness of his stare. I take a deep breath and start what I came here to do. "I wanted to apologize for my actions yesterday. They were childish and immature and I took my anger and frustration out on you." This manages to get his full attention. He turns his head to look at me completely and shuts his book. Well, at least I know he's listening. "I realize that this arrangement is not only hard on me, but you as well. I am sorry that I forgot that."

Pops would be so proud of me.

Loki stares at me for a moment. I'm trying very hard not to squirm under his intense stare. He seems to come to some conclusion because he bows his head, accepting my apology. A breath I didn't realize I was holding escapes me and I relax a little. Well step one is now complete. On to step two.

"Considering this is not something either one of us can get out of, I suggest we figure out a schedule of some kind."

"A schedule?" he asks, eyebrows lifting in apparent surprise. Or dislike. I can't tell the difference.

"Well, yeah," I say. I'm so eloquent. I take a seat in the chair in front of him. "It's obvious that you are studying something fairly important to you and I don't want to take you away from that. That would be cruel. And I want to do other things, like explore the palace and Asgard as a whole. I don't think it's fair if one or the other of us has to sacrifice their desires for the sake of the other. So a truce."

"I'm listening," he says, propping his head on his hand. And he really is. His eyes haven't left my face since I started talking. It's a little unnerving.

I look away, thinking. "Well, Sif wants to train me on this day every week, so you don't have to worry about looking after me unless she is gone. We could spend the mornings at the library so you can do your research and studying or whatever it is you do and we can spend the afternoons doing what I want to do." I shrug. "Or something like that."

He gives it some serious thought. "And to be perfectly honest," I add, almost as an afterthought, "the likelihood that I will actually be just spending my afternoons alone or with your family is pretty high, so you will most likely have afternoons to yourself."

"I do not see how that could not be doable," he says after a short pause. I sigh in relief. At least he isn't fighting me on this. "However, I will not be your guide if you feel the need to wander."

"I didn't ask you to be." I shrug. "Usually when I wander I prefer not to have a guide, anyway. So you just have to follow, I guess."

He nods in understanding. "I believe this arrangement will work just fine."

"Good." I stand up. "Thank you for speaking with me." I begin heading towards the door before one more thought pops into my head. "Oh, and Loki?" I turn back around and see that his eyes are still on me. "I meant what I said yesterday. If you want me to do something, ask it. Don't command me to do something. It is a sure-fire way to get me to do the exact opposite." I pause and look down to the ground. "Besides, if you don't command me I can promise I won't command you either."

I don't wait for a response. I turn back around and head towards his door. All things considered, this went pretty well. I was hoping he would apologize for his words from a few nights ago, but I wasn't anticipating them. He doesn't seem like the apologizing type. I can only hope that he will heed my warning. I swear if he does start commanding me again, I will punch him again.

Right before I turn the handle on the door, his voice rings out behind me. "For what it's worth, I am sorry as well."

My head whips around. He is no longer looking at me. He is staring down at his lap where his book was resting. I can't help the small smile that pulls on my mouth. To say I'm surprised is an understatement, but I am pleased as well. Maybe we can be civil after all.

"Thank you," I whisper before turning back around and walking through the door, closing it solidly behind me. I walk back into my room, the smile still on my face.


	11. Nightmare Tangles

**A/N: Happy New Year! Oh, and a shiny new chapter for you all! Okay, to be perfectly honest, I'm finally getting to the scenes that have made me want to write this fic in the first place, hence why this chapter came out so fast. I can't say that it will continue to be this quickly, as my manager is working me into the ground this next week, and school starts in two more weeks. Ugh. So, I can only promise that I will try to write just as often but most likely, my chapters are going to be taking a little bit longer to come out. Warning you all now! **

**Anywho, I hope you all enjoy! And, as always, let me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer: Charlie and this plot are all I have. Sad day. **

Nightmare Tangles

The past couple of weeks have gone by pretty well, all things considered.

I have gotten into a pretty set routine: I wake up within the first few hours after dawn, do my usual morning routine of yoga, walk with Loki to the library and spend the mornings there, have lunch, then spend the afternoon usually with the twins, Lady Frigga, Aunt Jane, and Uncle Thor. I've only gone wandering a couple times and Loki was very serious about not being my tour guide. All he will do is give me a warning about rooms that I shouldn't go in. The days that I train with Sif, I usually don't see him until dinner. I spend the majority of my dinners with the royal family, which is always an event in itself. The stories are so entertaining most nights. Then I go back to my room and spend the rest of my night on my own.

Uncle Thor went back home for me about a week ago. Dad and Pops packed me some more things so I can stay entertained. Reading is fun, but after a while, I need something else to do. Pops packed my stash of yarn so I can work on my crotchet projects. Dad packed me a few portable speakers for my Starkpod. One is in the bathroom and the other is sitting on my desk. He also sent up some of my research materials, but without access to the internet, continuing my research is basically pointless. I try not to think too much about how much time has gone by. Dad wrote me a letter explaining that my ex is better at hiding than anyone thought. Even with S.H.I.E.L.D. helping to locate him, all of their leads have gone dry. Basically, I'm going to be on Asgard longer than I thought.

I guess it's a good thing that I have a routine set in place.

I'm currently sitting in the library with Loki. While we have a truce going on and we are being perfectly civil to each other, we don't talk much. Which is fine. Besides, I don't want to interrupt whatever it is that he is studying and it's a good idea to be quiet in a library anyway. I'm attempting to interpret a book in runes. Uncle Thor taught me runes when I was young because of the books he would bring me. However, this is some heavy stuff. The runes that we have on earth is nothing compared to what is in this book. I've been at this for about two hours and I'm only on the tenth page.

I'm starting to get a headache.

Just as I am about to suck up my pride and ask the silent man in front of me for some help, two small people run into the room rather loudly. Before I can process what they are doing, they shout out, "Charlie!" and "Uncle Loki!" and then dive under our table. I can feel one of them wrap their arms around my knees.

Loki and I exchange confused looks before we both glance under the table. Modi and Magni are attempting to hide further under the table. "What's with you two?" I ask, watching as Modi clutches my knees a little tighter.

"Just hide us!" he whispers at me, burying his face into my knees. Magni is doing no better. He looks like he is trying to melt into the ground.

As hiding places go, underneath a table is not a great one. At the right angle, anyone can see where they are hiding. But as I watch, the shadows begin to thicken around them until I can't see them anymore. It's not invisibility exactly, but the shadow underneath the table makes it look like they are no longer there. I glance back up at Loki and he gives me a small smirk. He turns his attention back to his book, as if we weren't just bulldozed by some twins. I straighten my posture and also look back to my book. However, I don't get much of a chance to delve back into the runes.

My back is facing the doorway, so I don't see who comes and who goes. It would drive me nuts if I did. However, I immediately know it when the next person walks in. Everyone that happened to be sitting around me openly turns and gawks at the doorway. I see Loki also look up but he immediately looks back down. A small smirk is on his face. It takes all of my ability not to turn around and look. I get the feeling I will know soon enough.

I can hear heavy footsteps stomp up to us—well, stomp up behind me. Oh, I really want to turn around. I can feel Modi shake and I realize it is with laughter when I hear Magni snicker under the table. Now I really want to know. However, I am going to follow Loki's lead. See what this person does.

This should be interesting.

The person stomps around so he is standing next to me where I can see him. I finally glance up and immediately wish I hadn't. It takes all of my ability to not immediately start laughing. He is a burly guy, tall with a lot of muscle. I'm assuming he is wearing the standard golden armor of the guards, but you can't really tell. He is covered from helmet to foot in bright blue paint. Even his face is dyed that wonderful color. And to make it even better, purple feathers are covering him in strategic places: meaning his upper chest and crotch area. There is a trail of feathers behind him, leading me to believe there are feathers on his back as well.

I want to give the twins such a big hug.

I cough attempting not to start laughing and look back down at the book. My eyes are a little too wide. Loki has yet to acknowledge the man standing at our table. I hear another snicker from under the table and I lightly nudge Magni with my foot to get him to stop. We are attempting to hide him after all.

"What can we do for you?" Loki finally asks, still keeping his eyes on the book in front of him. This man has an amazing poker face. Absolutely no hint of amusement crosses his face or inflects his voice. I wish I had that ability.

"Where are the twins?" the guard asks back. I finally glance back up at the guard in surprise. How is it that he can just demand an answer from one of the princes of Asgard?

"I have not seen them," Loki responds, finally looking up and giving the guard a piercing stare. "Have you seen them, Charlotte?"

I give him a small glare. I can't get him to stop calling me Charlotte. It's like he is still maintaining that one thing to irritate the hell out of me. "No, I haven't," I finally respond, looking back at the guard.

His eyes narrow at Loki. He doesn't even bother giving me a glance. How rude. "I saw them run in here. I know they are here."

"That they may have. But it does not mean I have seen them." He gives a condescending smile. "If two small boys can outsmart and outrun you, then maybe you need to be more vigilant in your training."

Oh, he's good.

"Where are they?" the guard demands yet again. His patience is starting to wane. I don't know what it is that makes me realize this, but something about his demeanor changes. The already high tension goes up a little bit higher at the table.

Loki meets his heated glare with a cool one of his own. "Are you implying that I am lying?"

"Of course," he says back.

"Are you implying that _I_ am lying?" I pipe up. I'm trying to prevent a fight here. I don't want the boys to be caught in the middle of a confrontation like this. They may think it would be great fun, but I don't agree.

"Yes," Loki says, glancing over at me. "Are you implying that my family's honored guest is lying to you about the whereabouts of her cousins?" He glances back up to the still standing guard. I can see him wilt a little around the edges and he takes a step away from the table.

"Of course not," he says quietly, finally looking at me. I see him glance at the sun necklace around my neck and he bows slightly. I wonder if he realized who I was. Well, at the very least, he knows who I am now.

"Maybe you should be looking for them in the personal wing?" I suggest. Mainly just to get him out of here.

He bows his head and promptly leaves the room. Just like I thought, there are more of the purple feathers stuck to his back and butt. I breathe out the breath I was holding and look back under the table. I watch as the shadow slowly dissipates and the twins grinning faces stare out at me. I try to be stern but it doesn't really work. I start laughing as they clamber out from under the table.

"I don't want to know how," I start once I finally get my laughter under control, "but I do want to know why."

"Yes, why did you do that to your guard?" Loki asks. Oh, that was their personal guard? That poor, poor man.

Modi shrugs. "He is not very nice to us," Magni says.

"Yeah, he is so strict and he never lets us do anything fun," Modi pipes up, crossing his arms.

"Fun meaning running around and terrorizing the palace?" I ask, looking at them both. They both shake their head, but I'm not buying it.

"And he's always around!" Magni complains. "He never lets us cut our lessons and he never lets us leave the royal wing unless someone is with us!"

"It sounds to me as if you don't like him because he is doing his job," I point out, giving them a stern look. They deflate a little. I shake my head at the both of them. I don't want to lecture them—that's not my job. I'll leave that task to Aunt Jane and Uncle Thor. But I am not below pointing out when they are wrong. "Still, that was a very good prank, boys," I compliment, giggling a little. "It's going to take me days to get that vision out of my head."

"I agree," Loki says. He is giving the boys a warm smile. "Very well done."

They give us a big smile. Before we can continue, they give us both a hug. "Thank you for hiding us!" And with that, they are off running out the door to lord knows where.

"Can I have just an ounce of their energy?" I say quietly, turning back to my book. I sigh at it. Do I really have to continue this? I don't want to. Before I can decide whether to continue this horribly tedious task, Loki closes his tome of a book and stands up.

"I think I am done for the day," he announces. I stand as well, glad for the change in plans. I nod and we head back to the royal wing. There are little feathers strewn about as we walk making me giggle all over again. We go our separate ways by the dining hall. I'm going to spend the rest of my afternoon in my room relaxing. Loki informs me that he won't be far if I decide to leave the wing.

Yep, routine is good.

OoO

All I can feel is the cold. My clothes have been drenched over and over again from the freezing water and the metal cuffs binding my wrists must be made of pure ice. I'm shaking and no effort on my part can get me to stop. The only part of me that isn't cold is my back. No, that is searing hot. I make sure I don't move in case the pain flares up again. The agony has become my constant companion but movement makes it so much worse.

The sound of a whip is bouncing off the stone walls and each one makes my body jerk and I cry out in pain yet again. I don't understand. I keep telling them I don't know the access codes. I don't have the access to where they want. But the whipping never ends. God, I should have listened to my family. I shouldn't have wandered off and been a stubborn idiot. I deserve the pain I am getting now. I wasn't strong enough to fight them off. I wasn't smart enough to stay with those who could protect me. I'm not able to give them what they want. Then there is fire. Screaming and cursing and prayers. I can feel the heat begin to melt the ice around my body and I feel relief.

A splash of icy water hits my face. I don't understand. I managed to escape that house of horrors. Why am I back? Why am I being drowned again? I can hear the whip again. Did I never leave? Was everything a dream my pain-filled mind conjured up to get me away from my harsh reality? I see the looming face of the masked man and scream out.

"Charlie," he says quietly. I feel the whip against my blood-soaked back. I'm screaming again. I don't have the codes! I can't get you in! Just leave me alone!

"Charlie," he says, louder and more insistent. The whip and the clank of the chains drown out his voice. I want to go home.

"Charlie!"

My eyes snap open. All I can see is the masked man looming over me. He has a hold on my shoulder and I scream again. I clamber away from him on all fours across the massive expanse of bedding and cower in the corner. He doesn't move to follow me. I blink a few more times and the mask finally drifts away only to reveal a very confused Loki. I look around and only see the room I was loaned while I stay in Asgard, lightly illuminated by the fire in the grate on the other end of the room. The small stone room finally falls away from my vision.

The crack of the whip is still ringing in my ears.

"Oh god," I whisper. I pull my knees up to my chest and bury my face in them. I let the tears fall freely. It's been a very long time since I've had a nightmare that vivid. A long time since I've remembered. I try to get my labored breathing under my control before I start hyperventilating. My heart is pounding in my ears but it still can't drown out that damn whip.

It's been ten goddamn years. I shouldn't still be doing this.

It's only then that I remember that I have an audience. I glance up at Loki. He hasn't moved. His hands are resting where I can see them and he is trying to be as relaxed as possible. He is giving me a look like what you give a cornered and scared animal. "I'm so sorry," I sob out. Goddamn these tears. I wish I could stop but I just can't. I'm starting to slip into hysterics and I can't stop myself. "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry," I chant out. I bury my head back into my knees. I think I'm still chanting sorry at him but I'm not really focused on that.

I don't know how much time passes before I feel the bed move. I think he is speaking to me. I can't hear much over the sound of the whip. I can still feel the cold from that damp place. My scars are tight and I have slipped back into my habit of not moving so I don't irritate them.

"Charlie!"

My head snaps up and he immediately has my attention. He never calls me that.

"You need to breathe," he says very slowly. He is in front of me now. He is holding onto my elbows, giving me something physical to feel. I feel a little bit more grounded now. The nightmare that has been clinging to the edges of my vision finally start to leave. I no longer see the stone walls and can only see shining gold and deep blue. My shaking slowly starts to subside as the bone chill from before starts to leave. My breathing is finally starting to slow down to a normal rate, as is my pounding heart.

"Good," he says, noticing my slowing breath and relaxing posture. He removes his hands from my arms and I immediately miss their weight. God, I would give anything to be home now so I can crawl into my parents bed and have them soothe away my fears, like they did when all this began.

I swipe my hands across my cheeks, wiping the tracks of my tears off my face. I'm still crying a little, but it's not the bone-wracking sobs from before. I roll my shoulders a bit, trying to get my skin to loosen up. That is the only thing that I can't quite shake off. I'm going to need to stretch or take a bath.

I glance out the window and notice it's still dark out. I look back over to Loki who is still watching me closely. Probably waiting to see if I break down into hysterics again. I swallow thickly and rest my chin on top of my knees and stare back at him. "Why are you here, Loki?"

"I heard you screaming," he replies. "I thought you might be being attacked."

The corner of my mouth twitches. Well, at least he's taking his job seriously. I break eye contact and look over to the destroyed bed sheets. I must have been flailing quite a bit to make them look like that. I can only imagine what he saw when he came in to investigate.

"I suppose, in a way, you were," he continues. "What were you dreaming about?"

I shake my head. "It was just a nightmare."

"_That_ was not just a nightmare."

I look back over to him. The only people who know the full extent of what happened to me are my family. I haven't shared this with any of my friends or even Adam, my crazy ex. It's not that I don't trust them. I just don't want to get that pitying look my dad sometimes gets when people talk to him about Afghanistan, or with my Pops about his life before he was iced. I don't want to explain this to him. I don't think I can.

I simply shake my head in response. "It's not important."

He doesn't look convinced. Before he can argue with me, I get up and move away from the bed. I need to move. I don't want to leave any chance for me to fall back asleep and fall straight back into that nightmare. I don't think I could handle it.

"What are those marks along your back?"

I immediately freeze. I forgot that I was wearing a spaghetti strap tank to bed. It shows off my upper back for everyone to see. It is riddled with white scars. The scars go all the way down to the small of my back. I am very self-conscious of them, so I always wear clothing that covers them up. The only time they aren't covered is when I sleep or shower. I'm not able to cover it up now either-he's seen them, so I have to explain. "They're scars," I whisper. "From a whip."

Silence meets my statement. I don't think he was expecting that answer. Not many people would, I imagine. Hell, most people don't even know I was kidnapped and tortured within an inch of my life. Most of the kids from my school thought I took a year off to tour Europe—I was a rich brat who could afford that, after all. The news of my kidnapping never reached the media, let alone my torture. I'm sure my dad paid off a lot of people to keep it that way.

"What happened?" he asks, just as quietly as before.

"I don't want to talk about it." I keep my back turned to him. Maybe if I just continue to ignore him physically, maybe he'll drop it and leave it alone.

"Charlie," he says. There is a warning to his tone. My anger is starting to flare. He's pushing a topic he really shouldn't push with me.

"I _said_ I don't want to talk about it."

"Tell me."

"Fine! You want to know what happened?" I spin around and face him. I embrace the anger that is spilling out of me. Better than the fear and helplessness I had been feeling this entire time. "Ten years ago I was kidnapped off the streets of Manhattan two blocks away from my home. I was taken by some old enemies of my Pops to an abandoned building in the center of the city. I was tortured for two months straight for information I didn't have. I escaped only when the house burned to the damn ground. I was hospitalized for six months due to the fact that I caught pneumonia from the attempt of water torture and absolutely no heat in the damn building, a serious infection ravaging my back, and more mental problems than can ever be fixed." His face remains a neutral mask. He gives me no hint to what he might be thinking or feeling. I wish he would give me a reaction of some kind. "I went home to only have these nightmares start up. I've gone two years without them being this vivid and real. Ten years. My mind must love to torture me because I shouldn't be doing this anymore!" I clutch at my hair and tug slightly. "I don't want to keep doing this!" I sigh and let my hands fall. And just like that, my anger is gone. Now I'm just hollow.

"The mind certainly does have a way of destroying us, doesn't it?" he mumbles into the silence left by my outburst. I glance back at him. He is watching me carefully, but not with pity or fear that I might do something stupid. It's with understanding.

I give a humorless chuckle. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."

He stands up from the bed. "Tell me, do those scars limit you in any way?"

I cock my head at the odd question. "It makes my skin pretty stiff. If I don't stretch every day, I can have a hard time moving around. Why?"

"Curious," is his response. He looks around my room one last time before heading towards the door. "I will leave you alone now."

I watch his retreating back for a moment before turning towards the fire. I need to feel its warmth and just think for a while. I'm glad Loki knows that rather than trying to stick around. Sometimes people hover, thinking that I need company or just someone to talk to when this nightmare comes knocking at night. They're wrong. I need to be left alone so I can shove the memories back down into the box that I don't ever let out.

"Oh and Charlotte?" I turn back around. I guess he's back to calling me Charlotte again. "Don't expect me to do this every time you have a bad dream."

I smirk at him. "Wouldn't dream of it."

He sends me the smirk that I have grown very familiar with over the past couple weeks and walks out the door. Oddly enough, that parting comment made me feel a little bit better.


	12. The Stables

**A/N: So a new update for ya'll. (I don't say ya'll... wth?) Anyway, this is a little update before my probable few day hiatus. I feel a burnout coming on. Not to mention I work 12 hours tomorrow and I am going to need a few day recovery, I think. So, as always, let me know what you think!**

**Enjoy!  
**

**Disclaimer: -_- Same as always**

The Stables

It didn't take long for me to feel completely claustrophobic in my room. Odd, considering it's completely massive, but when I need to get out, I have to get out.

I grab my Starkpod and headphones off my desk, pull on a bulky sweater to hide my scars, and walk out the door without a second thought. Listening to Josh Groban, I head down the hallway and try to remember my way to the stables. I found them the last time I went wandering. Loki seemed pretty surprised when I was so excited to find it. I love horses. Sometimes, when I was having a tough time with my research, I would leave my trailer and head to wherever the horses were being kept that night on my digs and just take care of them—brush them, wash them, talk to them. It's oddly therapeutic.

The day that I found the stables with Loki, I spent about a half hour in there, marveling at all the horses that were there. According to the stable-hand that was there, that stable housed about one hundred of the horses that were strictly for Asgard's army. It was one of the smaller ones, he said. If that one is small, I can only imagine what the big ones look like. He gave me an invitation to come to the stables any time I wanted to help them tend to the horses after I had expressed an interest.

I hope that offer still stands.

Luckily for me this stable happens to be attached to the royal wing, so I don't need to have Loki with me this time. I don't want to bug him after everything that had just happened. God, I can only imagine what he must be thinking right now. The only ones that have ever seen me that bad are my Dad, Pops, and Uncle Bruce. They were always the ones to pull me out of my nightmare and to hold me until I calmed down enough to think straight. The rest of my family knew about my nightmares, of course, but Dad and Pops have the room closest to me, and Uncle Bruce would always have JARVIS wake him when it happened when my parents were in Malibu or something. I have many more nightmares than just that one, but that isn't so much a nightmare as it is a memory. The other ones don't cause screaming fits and hysterics.

I wish I could just forget.

It doesn't take me long to walk to the stable. Upon entering, I see that the torches are low and it's very quiet. There are no people around. Good. I don't want to talk to anyone right now. I walk along the long hallway, peering into various stalls. Most of the horses are asleep. I don't want to wake any of them up simply because I need a therapy session. About halfway down, I find a horse standing at the opening of the stall. I think he heard me coming. I smile at him. We met the last time I was in here. He had been coming in from a run, one of the stable boys leading him. I took one look at him and squealed in delight. He is a gorgeous, black horse.

And he also happens to have eight legs.

My inner mythology nerd was having a fit once I laid eyes on him. I rushed over to the stable-boy and the horse and immediately starting petting his nose, cooing about how gorgeous he was. Loki was looking at me like I was crazy while the stable-boy just laughed. I don't think the horse knew what to do with me either. He handled my attention very well, though. In fact, he seemed to like the attention I was giving him.

"What's his name?" I asked the boy.

He smiled and said, "Sleipnir."

My eyes widened and I glanced behind me at Loki. He gave me a confused look. I immediately busted out laughing. I couldn't help it.

I couldn't meet Loki's eyes for an hour after that without laughing. He didn't understand why I was laughing and I was not going to tell him what humans thought his relationship with this horse was. He can figure that one out on his own.

"Hey, Sleipnir," I whisper, walking up to the stall. I start rubbing his nose fondly. "How are you tonight?"

He huffs at me while nodding his head a little bit. I glance around, looking for a brush and maybe some carrots or something that I could give him. "Mind if I brush you a bit?" I ask, looking back at him. I figure it's probably smart to ask permission before I just do what I want. He seems like an intelligent being that can kick me if he doesn't like me.

I get a small neigh in response and he backs away from the door. I smile and take that as a yes. I walk away to find the brush. It takes me a minute, but I find it along with a bushel of apples. I grab one and head back to his stall. He's waiting patiently by the back wall. He gives me a look when I enter though. I translate it as _what took so long?_

"I know, I know," I reply, feeding him the apple and petting the side of his head. "But, I don't know where everything is so I'm going to be a little bit longer than everyone else." He swishes his tail and I set to work brushing him.

Whenever people tell me horses aren't smart, or can't communicate, I always argue back. It's just not true. I've worked with and taken care of enough horses to know that they can tell you exactly what they are thinking with only a look if you take the time to pay attention. This one is no different. I found out the last time that he is Odin's personal horse. I suppose that means he's a pretty big deal. But he doesn't get a special stable or anything like that. I don't think horses care who rides them, just as long as they are being cared for properly. I take the time to do it because I find a benefit to it and I'm helping the creature too, so it's a win-win for the both of us.

I brush down his neck in silence for a few minutes. My thoughts trail back to what happened just an hour before. I seriously wish that hadn't have happened. It's been two years since that dream had showed its ugly face. Two years. Why would it show up now? Right when I was starting to forget again, it just had to come knocking on my subconscious door and remind me of all the things I hate about myself. It had to remind me of all of my weaknesses and the biggest mistake I made. It's as if those people that took me are still haunting me, making sure that I don't forget what they did to me. And what makes it worse? They're dead.

"Is it possible for the dead to haunt you?" I ask Sleipnir. He looks at me out of the eye that I can see. I move on to brush his sleek black mane. "It's one thing if you're being stalked by the living, but people who have hurt you in the past can't hurt you in the present if they're dead, right?"

He gives a short snort as if agreeing with me. I hope he's right. I don't feel as if that is the case though. I went to a therapist after I finally got out of the hospital. They tried to give me one while I was there, but I refused to see them. My Pops made me go to one after I got out though, especially after the nightmares started up. She diagnosed with me PTSD among other problems. Which, I suppose I had. Anything that so much as sounded like a whip would set me off into a panic attack and I refused to be near cold water for a full two years. It took me months to have the courage to leave the Tower without one of the Avengers or S.H.I.E.L.D. agents following me. When I was seventeen, all of these symptoms had subsided and I thought I was good—even my nightmares had gone down from four times a week to maybe twice a month.

Took me three years, but I was finally getting back to normal.

Just when I was getting ready to start college, the nightmare came. The same one I had tonight. It scared me so bad I couldn't leave the Tower for a week. I also didn't sleep for that entire week. It was unhealthy, but as long as I wasn't dreaming, I didn't care. I had that dream maybe once a year throughout college. The last one was when I was getting ready to leave for Norway and start my search by myself. Every time I would have it, I would stay homebound for at least a week, refusing to interact with anyone. I would put on my music, sit in the dark, and attempt to get my mind to stop torturing me. Not that it ever worked, but I kept trying.

"Crazy how one thing can change your life," I whisper out. I've moved on to Sleipnir's back. He's being really good and keeping still for me. He's decided to bend down and much on the hay that litters the ground of the stall. Probably a good idea. I should have grabbed more apples for him. I'll make sure to do that before I leave.

I can basically categorize my life in two sections: before 14 and after 14. I was completely disillusioned with the world. Well, with my world. And I think that is what had affected me more than the kidnapping and the torture itself. I wish I could go back to that sweet, innocent, hopelessly optimistic girl that I used to be, but I can't.

And, god, Loki got a glimpse of it. Okay, he got the whole damn show.

I thump my head onto Sleipnir's flank and rest for a moment. "He must think I'm completely pathetic," I groan out.

I don't know what's with me. I don't usually care this much about what someone thinks. I mean, I'm Tony Stark and Steve Roger's daughter. If I cared about what people thought, I would have died of mortification years ago. Not to mention I have my dad's piss-off attitude and Pop's ability to ignore the negativity of the people around me. But, when it comes to Loki, I care. Maybe I'm trying to impress him? No, that's not it. I don't need to impress anyone. Well, whatever it is, it needs to stop. He is my guard and nothing more. So what if he saw me have a mental breakdown and get a glimpse of something that only a few people have seen?

Okay, I care a lot.

I don't want him to start treating me with kid-gloves now. That's why I hid what happened to me to everyone I knew: I knew that they would treat me differently. Like I was some victim or survivor that needed to be coddled. I don't need to be coddled. Hell, I just need to be left alone, usually. I wouldn't be able to stand it if he were to show me pity or condescension now. He didn't seem that phased by what happened earlier, but he has a damn good poker face and I just can't see through it to what he might be actually thinking. I can read people fairly well, but Loki is just a mystery the majority of the time.

I notice Sleipnir raise his head out of the corner of my eye. I still have mine resting against his back. His head swivels to the stall door and he neighs at it. It's not in warning or anything, just acknowledgement. I guess there is someone walking by. I turn around fully expecting to see a stable-boy or a guard, but my eyes land on blue skin and red eyes.

"Oh," I say, fully surprised to see him here. "Hello, Jotun man."

He chuckles. "Are you going to always call me that?"

"Well, you haven't given me a name, so yes."

Sleipnir turns his head towards me and neighs petulantly. I mock glare at the horse. "Yes, alright. I'll finish brushing you, just hold on a second." I walk around to the other side of the horse and work my way down his neck. He swishes his tail and bends his head back down to the hay again. "Attention hog," I mumble under my breath, shaking my head.

I can see the Jotun man fold his arms on top of the door and lean against it out of my periphery, watching me as I work. "You're out late again, I see," he says.

"An argument can be made that you are too," I retort, glancing up at him.

He nods his head in agreement. "Is there a particular reason you are out so late?" he asks.

Hmm, should I tell him the truth, or a partial truth? "I just had a bad dream. I came out here to think and try and get my mind in order." Partial truth it is.

"And how is that working out?"

I smile mockingly. "Not very well." I move from Sleipnir's neck to his flank and back. "My thoughts are just going over the same material it's been over before."

He hums. He continues to watch me work in silence. It's odd how his constant gaze doesn't unnerve me in the slightest, and yet when Loki does the same thing, I feel so freaking self-conscious. I figure Jotun Man's red eyes would at least give me the heebie jeebies more the Loki's green ones do.

Jesus Christ, why am I thinking about Loki so much?

I physically shake my head, trying to get him out of my thoughts. Maybe I've been spending too much time with him. That's probably it. It's weird that we have spent so much time together, but I hardly know anything about him. I only know what my uncle has told me about him, and Sif. We hardly ever talk, so I never get a sense of what he is thinking. Maybe that's why I'm so fixated on what he thought about my little show earlier tonight.

"Care to share your thoughts?" he asks quietly.

I glance back up at him again. "Not really," I respond.

"What did you dream about that forced you out here in the dead of night?"

I just shake my head and look back down at my task. It's bad enough I had to tell Loki, I don't want to tell anyone else tonight.

"Let me guess," he says suddenly. I meet his gaze once again. Oh, yes, please guess. I doubt anything he can come up with is as bad as what actually happened. Then I can just agree and we can drop this topic.

After a minute of contemplative silence that was only filled with the sound of the brush running over fur, he speaks. "You had a nightmare about something in your past." I freeze. There is no way he guessed that already. "Something that still haunts you. You haven't made peace with it yet."

I glance up at him. My eyes must be a little too wide because he says, "I'm right, aren't I?"

My silence might as well have been an admission. I go back to brushing and now I am just trying to finish my task before he starts asking more questions. It doesn't mean I'll answer, but I don't want to snap at the only friend I have made on my own. Surprisingly, he doesn't ask anything, just continues to watch me as I finish up. I pat Sleipnir a couple times when I am done, rubbing his nose again. "Thank you. I'm going to go get you a few more apples, okay?"

He moves out of the way when I exit the stall. I return the brush and grab four apples. Sleipnir is already waiting. I feed him one and set the others on the door so he can grab them when he wants. Whispering another thank you and farewell, I turn and start heading towards the exit. Jotun Man is following me. I can sense it more than hear it. I swear the guy floats for all the sound he makes. We exit the building and I take a seat on one of the stone benches outside. The rainbow bridge leading to the bifrost is laid out before us. I can just make out the golden ball at the very end of it. Maybe I should go visit Heimdall in a few days and watch the stars with him.

Jotun Man takes a seat beside me, albeit with plenty of distance so we don't actually touch again. I thought I proved my point when we first met that he can't hurt me.

After a short silence, I decide to break it. "Yes, I had a nightmare about something horrendous that happened to me when I was still young. I don't want to talk about it. It will only help bring back my nightmares."

He remains silent. I hope that's in acquiescence to my wishes. I watch the sleeping city for a while before turning my gaze upwards towards the sky. I can never get enough of it.

"Did Loki wake you?" he asks suddenly. I whip my head towards him. Why does he want to know that? "I simply ask because I hope that someone at least was there when you awoke."

"Yes, he did," I answer. "He got to see me at my worst. The last person I want to see me like that and he did." I shake my head, looking away again. "I can only imagine what his opinion of me is now. It was never high to begin with, so it's probably subterranean now."

"I would not necessarily say that."

"Why not?"

I can see him look at me out of the corner of my eye. "Loki has an understanding of torture and pain that many do not. The big oaf in line for the throne does not know of physical or mental torture unless it deals with a direct battle. But being at ones mercy, he does not understand that."

I finally meet his eyes. "How does Loki understand that?"

He gives a condescending smile. "Do you honestly think his time with the Chatauri was peaceful?"

Huh, I never thought of that. It must have showed on my face because he gives a humorless chuckle. "You are not the only one to assume it was," he continues. "But it is not the physical torture that is the most gruesome part, even though that is horrible. It's being completely unmade and reshaped at the hands of the enemy."

I drop my gaze to my lap. "Everything I was before I was 14 is gone. I used to be a bright person. I used to have a positive outlook on the world. I no longer have that. I never thought I was going to leave that house when I was there and I kept having dreams that I was still there when it was all over. I didn't know for the longest time what my reality was." I look back up at him. It's odd, but talking to him is just so easy. It's almost natural. "But the worst was knowing that no one would save me. I held out hope that my Dad or my Pops would find me and come in with guns blazing and get me out of there. But that never happened. My support was completely shattered. I've never felt really safe since."

He nods in understanding. He doesn't comment. He doesn't have to. There is a mutual understanding. I don't know his situation, as he has yet to tell me. But I get the sense that he understands everything I am saying. I really want to know what happened to him, but I also know that he won't tell me.

"You don't think Loki's going to treat me any differently, do you?" I ask quietly. I hate feeling so damn needy for reassurance. But I know I won't be able to take it if he does treat me like a little girl who can't handle the world.

He smiles in response. "I can assure you he won't."

"How do you know so much about him anyway?" I ask. "Do you have nightly talks with him too?"

He chuckles. "I suppose you could say that."

"What does that even mean?" He shrugs and I growl in response. "Has anyone ever told you that you are completely annoying with your cryptic answers?"

He just laughs. He has a nice laugh, when it's genuine. I don't think I've heard him honestly laugh. It's sad that I am just realizing that.

He stands up and I look up at him. "Come. I'll escort you back to your room."

I stand up as well and follow him back inside. "You know where my room is?"

"I know where everything is in the palace."

"Of course you do," I say. We continue walking in silence. I want to ask him so many questions. But I know he won't answer any of them. It's strange how he knows so much about me, but I know next to nothing about him.

"So, where have you been the past couple of weeks?" I ask once we enter the final stretch of our walk. My door is in sight. "I haven't seen you in a while. And I would like to see you once during daylight."

He smiles at me but remains silent. I figure he's not going to answer, yet again. We walk up to my door. Before I can say goodnight, he finally responds. "I have been around. I have seen you many times, but you do not seem to see me."

"What?" I ask, incredulous. "No offense, but you're kind of hard to miss."

"Then you need to keep a sharper eye out," he responds. Before I can say anything, he gives me a small bow and turns to leave. "Have a peaceful rest of your night, Charlie."

"Oh, um, goodnight," I say quickly to his retreating back. Yep. That one is an enigma. I turn and go back into my room. I feel so much calmer now. I glance around my room, trying to decide what I am going to do now. There is no way I am going to attempt sleeping. Maybe I'll just read and relax until the start of the day.

An hour passes before I realize that I never once mentioned being tortured to the Jotun Man. I only confirmed that I was troubled about something traumatic. So how in the world did he know it was torture?


	13. In Sickness

**A/N: I'm back with another update! Tell be completely honest, I have no idea where this chapter came from. I went way off what I was planning on writing and here we are. Oh well. I'm the author, I'm allowed to go off topic for a bit. Anywho, I hope you all enjoy. And you can probably tell what I was listening to while writing this chapter! lol**

**Disclaimer: -_-**

In Sickness

I didn't sleep for the rest of the night. I was too afraid to try. I figured waking up in a screaming fit once tonight was all I could handle. And If I woke up Loki again, I doubt I would be able to live it down.

I watched the sunrise before deciding to get ready to meet Sif. I'm starting to get pretty good with the short sword, if I do say so myself. I've been going through the drills she gave me on the days we don't meet, which has been helping me with handling the sword and with my balance with it as well. She was right in that it isn't too foreign in my hands. I'm able to flip it around now like one of my knives. However, it's still too bulky to be thrown and there is enough of a weight difference to throw me off. I'm nowhere near Sif's ability, but with a few more weeks practice I'm sure I can give her a run for her money.

Well I hope so.

I turn on my speakers and hook up my Starkpod while I go through my morning routine. I need something upbeat to keep me going. No sleep is draining. I sing along to Ke$ha while going through my yoga stretches, Lady Gaga while I gather my items of clothing and weapons for the day, and Maroon 5 while I bathe. The steam from the bath appears to be irritating my throat and I cough to try and clear it. Moving on to the rest of my routine, Avril Lavigne plays across the speakers. I grin. I used to be obsessed with her music when I was growing up, especially her old music. I walk out of the bathroom after getting dressed in the black leggings, dark green tunic, and chest armor that seems to be the norm of this realm, singing along.

"Singing Radiohead at the top of our lungs, with the boom box blaring as we're falling in love, I got a bottle of whatever, but it's getting us drunk, Singing to here's to never growing up!" I sing out with my eyes closed and a smile on my face. I dance around for a second just singing along and letting myself drown in the music. Anything to get my mind back to a good place.

Too bad I had an audience.

When I reopen my eyes, I screech loudly at the figure standing by my bed. I spin around so my back is facing him. However, I didn't miss that amused little smile on his face. My face is flaming red. "Damnit, Loki!" I yell out. I cover my face in an attempt to get my humiliated blush to go away.

"Please, don't stop on my account," he says. I can hear the creak of the bed and assume he took a seat. I guess he's not going away.

Once I get my blush to go away somewhat, I spin around and pin him with a glare. "Haven't you ever heard of knocking?" He shrugs and glances out the window, that smile still on his face. "Maybe I should put a bell on you," I mumble to myself, heading to the vanity. "Maybe then I'll know when you're sneaking up on me."

"I would hardly call this sneaking up on you," he retorts. I roll my eyes. I sit down and clasp the sun necklace around my neck and pull my boots on. I cough a few times before standing and strapping the sword to my belt. I let the music play, allowing the songs to relax me little by little. Loki seems to be listening to it while looking around my room. I start humming along to Christina Aguilera while finishing getting ready. "You call this noise music?" he asks suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence between the two of us.

I glance over at him from my desk where I was arranging some of the books that I had thrown there. He has a mildly disgusted look on his face. I break out into a smile. "While I agree it's not the best music in the world, yes, it is widely considered as music."

"Your realm is obviously confused on what is considered worthy music."

I roll my eyes again. "I take it _you_ have a better idea of what music is worthy of being listened to?"

"Of course," he answers, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. I shake my head at him. Pompous bastard. I cough again before looking outside to see the sun is halfway up the sky. Usually Sif is here by now.

I must have had a confused look on my face because Loki stands and heads over towards me. He places a hand on the speaker, automatically turning it off. "Sif and the other warriors have been sent to deal with a skirmish that has broken out on Vanaheim. If you would like, I can be your tutor for the day. Or you can ask my mother. I'm sure she will not mind instructing you for today."

I raise my eyebrows in surprise. "Wait, let me get this straight. _You_ are offering to teach me in Sif's stead?"

He nods his head.

"Do you even know how to use a short sword?"

"Of course." I get an eye roll.

"What's the catch?" I ask.

"There is no catch," he says. He crosses his arms across his chest. "I feel the need to do something other than spend my morning wasting away in the library and you need a tutor. That is all. However, if the offer is so unappealing—"

"It's not unappealing," I say quickly, cutting him off. "I'm just surprised is all."

He shrugs. "Are you accepting then?"

"Yeah, sure," I say haltingly, starting to mentally question this decision.

"Good." He turns and heads towards the door. I follow—hesitatingly, but I follow. It's only as we are walking down the hallways towards the courtyard I usually practice in that I start to question this snap decision. I mean, I know he teaches Modi and Magni, but does that mean he's a good teacher? There is a lot that goes into being a good teacher besides just showing how to do something and do it well. There has to be patience and understanding, as well as being able to compromise. The Loki I know doesn't do that well.

Well, this is going to either end disastrously or very well.

Once we enter the courtyard, the dynamic between us immediately changes. I stop viewing him as my previous adversary and current bodyguard and give him all of my attention and respect as my current instructor. Likewise, he becomes a mildly different person. He reminds me of one of my college friends. I sat in on one of her classes when she became a high school teacher after we both graduated. She is normally loud, boisterous, and completely over-the-top dramatic, but as soon as she is in front of her class her entire demeanor changes to that of cool professionalism and kind words and patience. Loki's transformation is almost identical to that one. And just as stunning.

After asking me what I know so far, he tells me to show him what I can do. With that, our spar begins. He's actually a pretty good teacher. I won't say better than Sif—okay, I'm thinking it, but I won't say it. He is able to point out what is wrong with my stances, fixes my grip so the sword will be easier to use, and shows me a few moves that I can practice on my own. After that, we fight. He uses a short sword as well, only telling me that it will do me well to watch someone else use the same weapon so I can get a better idea of how it should be used. I agree with him.

I'm now laying on my back staring up at the clear sky. I seem to end up in this position a lot. My sword is somewhere. He managed to flip it out of my hand before I landed myself on my back. I'm breathing heavy. A lot heavier than I usually do by this point to be perfectly honest. I start coughing again. That tickle in the back of my throat hasn't quite gone away and I'm starting to think that it won't. I try to muster up the strength to push myself up but before I can Loki is standing over me. "Stay down," he says, placing my sword into its sheath and sitting beside me. "I think that will do for today."

I nod and cough again. Shit. I better not be getting what I think I'm getting. I close my eyes and catalogue my body. I might get a few mild bruises from when Loki blocked my punches and when I landed on my back (yet again) but other than that, nothing too serious. I am pretty weak though. I can usually last longer than this. I know it wasn't Loki that tired me out so fast—he used no more force than Sif does when she is training me. I can feel that tickle in my throat start to make itself known more prominently and I cough again trying to get it to go away. No luck.

I sigh and finally sit up once I get my breathing under control again. I feel exhaustion tugging at my limbs and I know it's not just from my lack of sleep. I feel a cool hand on my forehead and I turn to look at Loki. "You're warm," he says simply, raising an eyebrow in question, his hand dropping to his side once more.

That doesn't mean much. I am usually warm. But I get what he's implying. I sigh and hang my head. I will not admit defeat yet. "Thank you, Loki," I say, attempting to change the topic. "You're a better teacher than I thought you would be."

"I have plenty of practice."

I snort. "I bet the twins give you plenty of trouble."

"The twins, their father…"

I glance over at him again. "Uncle Thor?"

He gives me a dubious glance out of the corner of his eye. "My brother may have always been a good fighter, but academics was always his Achilles heel, so to speak."

I laugh. I can see that. "Wait. You know of Achilles?"

He rolls his eyes. "The twins felt the need to tell me the story you told them. With some mild alterations." He turns his head to look at me. "But, I was already familiar with the demigod's story, yes."

"Cool." I start coughing again. I growl out in frustration. I don't want to be sick, damnit! Bagging the whole thing, I stand up and look at Loki while he also pulls himself up ten times more gracefully than I did. "I better get back to my room before I infect everyone," I say, rubbing my forehead a little. I can feel a headache coming on. He nods in agreement and he escorts me back to my room.

Upon entering, I flop on my bed facedown. I don't want to move anymore. I roll over and pull off my armor and fling it in the general direction of my closet. I stand up, pulling the blanket with me and walk over to the fire place. I place my hand on the cool stone and watch as the fire roars to life. I figured out that little trick my first week here. All of the rooms are bewitched to accommodate those within them. Say I want a bath: the bath will be waiting by the time I get to the bathroom. I want fire? Done. It's another charm Lady Frigga cast on the rooms to make them more comfortable for guests.

Now if only I could get my trailer in Norway to do that.

I turn my back on the fire and start arranging the blanket in a nest formation on the rug. I walk back over to the massive bed and start grabbing as many pillows as I can carry and another blanket to continue my construction. Loki is standing by the doorway watching my progress with a dubious/amused expression on his face. I must look quite the sight. I've gotten into the habit of ignoring him when he is on guard duty. Easier than panicking over what he might be thinking when I do something slightly off the norm.

"What exactly are you doing?" he finally asks, walking over to better see what I'm making.

"Building a nest," I retort. I finally get it to be perfect. I climb inside and nestle down. "I fully intend on sweating this virus out and this will help me."

I can't see his face as I am facing the fire, but I'm sure he is shaking his head at me or something. Everyone usually does. "I will leave you to your sweating then," he says, a very large hint of amusement clouding his voice.

"Hey, Loki?" I call out before he can leave. "Can you do me a favor?" I don't get a response but he isn't moving away, so I take that as a go ahead. "Can you tell the boys and Aunt Jane to avoid me at all costs until I am well again? I don't want any of them to catch whatever it is I got. And can you tell Uncle Thor not to worry?"

"Why would my brother worry?"

"Everyone does. When I get sick, I get sick hard. My immune system isn't as strong as it should be. Trust me, he'll worry." That's not the whole truth, but I'd rather tell him the important bits rather than trying to explain a childhood sickness that landed me in the hospital for the first five years of my life.

"I shall relay those messages for you."

"Thanks, Loki."

I hear his boots across my floor and the bang of the door shutting. Only the crackling of the fire fills the sudden silence. I forgot to turn on my music. Sighing loudly, I climb out of my nest and turn on my music to a low level. I put it on my classic rock playlist and let the guitar riffs play. I walk to my bathroom and grab a few glasses of water to lay in reach. When I cough, I can feel a rattle in my chest, letting me know that this cold is starting to really take hold. Climbing back into my makeshift bed, I close my eyes and sigh again.

This is going to suck.

OoO

Whatever this sickness was, it was not your typical cold, or even flu. And it was a royal pain.

I don't remember much. I was in a pretty delirious haze the majority of the time after the sickness really set in. I know Lady Frigga spent time with me, as she was there when I had a few moments of clarity. But I can't be sure of anything else. I'm pretty sure I dreamed Uncle Bruce and Uncle Clint were having an arm wrestling match in front of me at one point. Uncle Bruce was getting so pissed that he Hulked out. I don't think that actually happened. Especially considering the Hulk and Uncle Clint got into an argument about cheating after that. I saw the Jotun man a few times as well. He was simply talking to me. I know that couldn't have been real though: he had his hands on my neck and forehead. The real Jotun man would never do that. I'm pretty sure Loki was around at one point too. He was talking to Frigga quietly.

Other than that though, I was only accompanied by strange dreams and heat. I was so hot. But I am convinced that staying under the covers ultimately helped me get the virus out of my system.

I am currently walking down the hallway with Frigga keeping a hold on my arm in case I fall over. I haven't quite gotten my balance back yet. We are heading to the dining hall so I can eat something. It's been three days and this is the clearest I have been in all that time. I'm so tired. I don't feel like I slept at all and I know that's pretty much all I did. And I don't even want to talk about how weak I feel. But I am standing and I am walking relatively on my own. I will take these small victories.

"I'm sorry for being such a bother," I mumble to the stoic woman beside me. I can't help but feel like I'm a nuisance. Not to mention I'm hardly walking at my normal speed and it's taking us longer than normal to reach the dining hall.

"You are not a bother, dear," she gently reprimands me. "I would take all the time in the world to help you be healthy again."

I smile slightly. I still feel like I'm being a bother, but I will take the help she is offering. We walk the rest of the way in relative silence, considering it is taking most of my concentration to walk in a somewhat straight line. By the time we enter the dining hall, I am overcome with relief. I can finally sit! I should feel more alarmed at my weakness, but I really don't care. Aunt Jane comes over and gives me a hug asking about how I was doing and feeling while also feeling my forehead for the now gone fever. Frigga answers all of her questions so I don't have to. I bare the sudden attention with as much grace as I can. I understand she was probably very worried about me. I'm just glad she listened to my request to stay away. The boys also come over to see me and I smile at them, letting them know I'm okay.

We all take a seat and I sigh in contentment. As always there is an overabundance of food. My stomach churns uncomfortably. I grimace slightly at the food. I don't want to eat but I know that I have to get something in my stomach. It's as I am trying to figure out what to eat that will cause the least discomfort when Loki walks in. He takes a seat beside me as usual.

He places a cool hand on my forehead. I'm starting to get tired of everyone's fussiness. I'm just surprised that he is also acting this way. I turn my head to look at him in askance. "I see you are much better than the last time I saw you."

"When was that?" I ask. My memory is spotty at best and I don't know when we last talked.

He raises his eyebrows in surprise. "Last night. We even spoke. Do you not remember?"

I shake my head. I can only imagine what that conversation was like. I lean back and thump my head against the chair. This whole moving around and conversing thing is exhausting.

"It took you long enough to get well again," he says quietly. I roll my eyes.

"Yes, because I have full control of my body's ability to fight a virus," I reply. I don't have too much venom though. I just don't have the energy.

He smirks in response. "You must be feeling better if you can respond with such sarcasm."

I shake my head. Honestly. There are times when I feel like he can actually be somewhat of an agreeable person and then he starts this crap up again. I honestly can't tell if he is trying to antagonize me or figure me out. Well, I feel that way about him sometimes so I suppose it's a two-way street.

"And don't think you aren't going to be eating something," he says suddenly capturing my attention again. "You need to get your strength back up."

See? I can't tell if it's out of duty or genuine concern that he said that. Ugh, I'm thinking too much. Shoving these thoughts aside for the time being I look at the table laden with food. I spot a lone pot of what looks to be soup. Yes. I will take that please.

Before I can move to get myself a bowl, Magni pops up and pours the soup into an accompanying bowl. He immediately walks around the table and hands it to me. "Why, thank you, Magni," I say in genuine surprise.

"You're welcome, Charlie. If you need my help with anything, just let me know!"

Grinning at his cute offer, I tell him I will and watch him walk back to sit beside his brother. Aunt Jane is smiling in pride at her son. I'm surprised as well. While the twins are not horrendously selfish per say, they do have a tendency to forget about others, as most children do. Maybe this is a sign that they are starting to mature a little?

A few seconds later, Odin joins us. He takes a seat and everyone digs in. I eat slowly, giving the soup time to cool before taking a bite. Frigga and Loki are watching me like a pair of hawks. I really want to roll my eyes at the both of them. I know I need to eat. I'm not dumb enough to not eat after going three days without food and being so sick. I don't though. As it stands, I'm just trying to finish the small bowl that is in front of me.

After finishing, I lean back and rest my head against the chair again. Odin speaks with me for a moment about how I am feeling. After confirming that I feel much better he quietly requests that I take a few days to rest and if I need to skip my training session this week that I do. I nod. God, everyone was worried about me. It's only then that I notice a very large absence at the table. God, I must have really been out of it to miss him.

"Where's Uncle Thor?" I ask to the quietly eating table. Loki hands me a piece of bread while I wait for an answer from the chewing king. I raise my eyebrow at it. Loki gives me a pointed look and I just sigh and start tearing it apart so it will be easier to eat.

"I had to send my son to help his warriors two days ago," the king finally answers, looking over to me. "The skirmish is taking more time to settle than originally anticipated."

"Oh. Is everyone okay?"

"Yes, they are well." He grins at me slightly. "I believe everyone should be home by the end of this week."

"That's good."

"Thor wasn't too happy to leave you," Aunt Jane says.

"Yes," Frigga agrees, nodding her head, "I had to physically force him out of your room to get him to go." I smile. That sounds like my uncle.

I finish eating my small piece of bread and let everyone else finish. My eyes are already starting to droop in my exhaustion. And I didn't even do much. All I did was walk here and eat and I'm ready to climb into my giant bed and pass out.

I must have drifted off. The next thing I know, I feel a hand on my shoulder and I jerk myself back awake. Aunt Jane and the twins are gone and Frigga keeps glancing at me with a worried look. Wow, that was rude of me. "Come, I'll take you back to your room," Loki says, standing up. I shake myself to help wake me up and stand up as well. The room spins for a moment, but settles back down. I follow Loki's retreating back slowly. After I finally make it out of the dining hall, he offers me his arm. I take it without question. I don't feel like questioning his motives today.

I stumble over my own feet a few times, but Loki keeps me upright. By the time we get back to my room I feel like a complete and utter klutz. Loki doesn't comment, thank god, just opens my door for me. Once I see my bed, I smile in relief and immediately fall into it. I maneuver myself into a more comfortable position and immediately start drifting off. I feel a hand on my forehead again. Before I can say anything to the man in my room, I fall asleep, drifting in inky black clouds.

Not a single dream comes for me that night.


	14. Recovery and a Warning

**A/N: So, it's the Sunday before the start of a new semester... And I may end up becoming pretty scarce after this update. I hope not, but with 18 credits and putting together a Relay for Life team, it's a high probability. I'm just warning you all now. **

**Also, thank you all for the wonderful reviews! Every one of them makes me smile and dance in glee! I'm so happy about the love and support I am getting for this story and I wish I could give you all a hug! Thank you all so much! **

**Anyway, I'm starting to get to the main plot of this story and questions are going to be answered within the next few updates (whenever I get to them). Stay tuned! And, as always, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters! **

Recovery and a Warning

The next few days dragged on.

The only thing worse than being sick is recovering from a sickness. Lady Frigga stuck to me like glue the entire three days I was recovering. Mainly because I was weaker than a newborn calf trying to walk, but, hey, I tried. We spent our time getting me up and moving to help me regain some dignity, talking and telling stories, and reading—you know, when I wasn't sleeping. Apparently I was pretty amusing when I was in that delirious haze, talking to phantom people and going on a rant about talking spiders and donkeys.

Yeah, I don't know what that means either.

On my second day of recovery, I asked Frigga what it was that invaded my immune system so badly. A standard flu couldn't have done that to me, and I'm not anywhere near where a normal virus could hit me. "Well," she starts, giving it some thought, "the healers believed it was a basic virus that all Asgardians get every once in a while. Most of our children become bed-ridden with it. Jane says it is the Asgardian version of what you call a cold."

"_That_ was a cold?" I questioned incredulously. No way. I handle colds way better than that.

"Yes, you did respond to it quiet spectacularly," she responded, giving me a gentle smile. "However, you did not respond to the medicine our healers gave you. So, they are not entirely sure that was it." She cocks her head to the side. "We all thought it was odd. Jane also caught the illness early on when she moved here. She responded the same as you did. But our medicine immediately remedied it, so she was only ill for a day."

My eyebrows came together in confusion. "That does seem odd."

"Yes, and it was worrisome. Without the medicine, you had to fight the virus on your own. Considering it was attacking you so violently, we worried you would not recover."

I lower my eyes. I wish I could say that was the first time I had to fight off something unseen that was trying to kill me, but I have practice with this sort of thing. "Well, I'm glad I did recover," I finally said, just to say something.

"As we all are," she agreed.

I chewed over that little tidbit for the rest of the day. I wonder why the medication didn't work for me? I mean, everyone responds to different medicines differently. For instance, penicillin, while amazing for most people, others are seriously allergic to it. Some allergy pills work amazing for some, while having no effect for others. Maybe it didn't work for me because my body just didn't like it?

I would be the one to take something to help me and have it not work. It's happened before.

I let that train of thought slide. It's officially my fourth day of recovery and it's the first time I feel somewhat back to normal. I'm still dog-tired, but I can walk across my room without assistance and still feel okay to keep moving. Yay! Frigga (finally) left me alone, mainly because there were palace matters she had to deal with. Not that I mind. I kind of missed having some time to myself. It also makes me feel better when I'm being pathetic that I don't have an audience. Not that I get the chance to be alone for long.

Loki makes an appearance about half way through the morning. He's been pretty scarce the past few days, only popping in when I was asleep (Frigga would tell me when he would come) or to check on his mother and I. I know he'll never admit it, but I think my illness freaked him out a little. Well, his body guard side anyway. He's supposed to protect me and keep me alive, but you can't protect someone against everything.

Again, this is only a suspicion, but he has been acting a little weird around me. More withdrawn compared to the last lucid day I had.

"Loki," I greet, somewhat surprised at seeing him. "Didn't expect to see you today."

"I was wondering how you were faring," he says. He doesn't leave my doorway though. I narrow my eyes at his odd behavior.

"Did Frigga put you up to it?" I ask, suddenly suspicious. I can totally see her doing that. I know she doesn't want me to be alone in case I relapse or something. It's more likely I will fall and not be able to get back up. But considering I am doing so well with walking right now, I don't think that will happen.

I get a small smile from him. "No. I can make decisions without my mother's pestering."

Ah, that sounds more like the Loki I know. He's still in there somewhere.

"If you say so," I mumble. More loudly, I respond to his earlier question. "I'm doing much better today. See? I can even walk on my own!" Just to prove it, I walk from my bed, where I was sitting, to the fireplace and back. "And my knees aren't even shaking," I add, giving the statement some childish pride. Well, it _is_ a small victory for me.

He quirks an eyebrow at me. "You seem to be very pleased over such a small feat."

I narrow my eyes. "Small? Trust me, if you could have seen me over the past few days, this is _not_ a small feat."

"If you truly wish to test your meager strength, you should walk more than just the length of your room," he points out.

"Hm, I suppose you're right." I get an idea. "Care to join me for a walk around the palace, Loki?" I ask, smiling sweetly at him. He gave me the idea, so he should have to join me.

Well, he has to anyway, but that is not going to diminish my teasing. It's far too much fun.

Rather than give me an answer, he turns and opens the door, holding it open until I can walk through it. Our walk is mostly silent, considering I can't think of a single thing to say. I really want to ask what he's been up to since I got sick. He probably reveled in his brief freedom. I roll my eyes at the thought. He probably wasn't that worried over me, like everyone else was. I mean, his odd behavior probably has nothing to do with me. Granted, I can't think of a single thing that would make him act so strange, but that doesn't mean anything. I don't know him like I know Uncle Thor.

I think that bugs me more than anything else. I wish I could get to know him more. We've never had any personal talks, besides my brief explosion about how I was tortured, but even then, that was about me. This man is supposed to guard me but I don't know what makes him tick. I don't know what keeps him motivated, what he's passionate about, what he hates. I know absolutely nothing. I know he's a damn good fighter and has a skill with magic that is only rivaled by Lady Frigga, has a sharp mind and sharper tongue. But everyone knows that. I sigh and shake my head. This enigma of a man may just end up staying that way.

"What are you thinking so intently about?" he asks, immediately capturing my attention and bringing me back to the here and now. He is watching me out of the corner of his eye.

"Nothing important," I respond. I am not about to tell him I was thinking about him just now.

Thankfully, he drops the topic. We're outside now, walking along the rainbow bridge. I watch the colors morph under my footsteps with childish delight. I don't know how it works, but it will never get old to watch.

"My brother and the other warriors will be returning later today," he says. "A feast will be thrown upon their triumphant return." There is an undertone of bitterness there. Does he wish he could have gone? I think Loki is still grounded on Asgard. He may have gotten all of his powers back in order to better protect me and whatnot, but I don't think he is allowed to leave Asgard. I sometimes wonder if he misses the heat of battle.

I don't voice any of this though. I'll just leave it all to my own speculation.

"You do realize," he continues, finally looking over to me, "you will have to make an appearance, right?"

"To the feast? Tonight?" Oh god. I don't think I'm ready for a feast yet. I'm still just testing my ability to stand and walk for long periods of time. And now I'm being forced to socialize? Ugh.

"It would be considered inappropriate for my family's honored guest to be absent at such an event," he says. "Especially considering you are technically Thor's guest." Glancing over at me, his eyes scan my body. I glare in response. "However, if your weak mortal form is not feeling up for such a _small_ event—"

"Don't worry, your _royal_ Highness," I quip, heavy sarcasm on the royal, "I'll be there." I roll my eyes. Yep, that's the Loki I know. Does he have to remind me I'm so much weaker than everyone else in this realm?

I get a smirk in response. Ass.

"I will collect you when it is time and make sure you do not stumble over your own feet upon entering."

"Don't do me any favors."

We lapse into a comfortable silence. This is normal. This is routine. I missed this.

The afternoon passed fairly quickly. After he dropped me off at my room, I took a nap mainly to try and stave off my exhaustion. That is the only thing I can't quite shake, unfortunately. I wake up when the sunlight is starting to wane. Sighing, I pull myself out of bed and get ready for the feast. The only good thing about this is seeing my uncle again. I've missed his larger than life presence the past few days. It'll be good to see Sif again too so I can get back to training. Going an entire week without practice has probably put me behind. I haven't tried picking up a sword and I should probably get back to practicing using my knives, if only to get my stamina back up to where it was before.

I'm standing in my closet with only my underwear and a slip on, staring at the array of dresses lining my closet. What the hell am I supposed to wear? All of the dresses range from casual day dress, fighting dress, to what I wore my first night here. I figure that dress is kind of overkill for this, not to mention I won't be able to get into it on my own. But that doesn't help me much.

Before I can decide, I hear my door open and close with a small bang. I peak my head out of my closet and see Loki standing there. Shit, I'm not ready yet! He quirks an eyebrow at me and I hold my palm out, telling him to stay where he is. "Don't you dare come in here," I command, running back inside the room.

"Why are you not ready yet?" he asks, obviously ignoring my command and skipping right to the point.

"I can't figure out what to wear!"

I hear a sigh. I'm pretty sure there was an eye roll that accompanied that. I hear his boots walking across the floor and panic slightly as they get louder. "Don't come in here! I'm practically naked!" Why isn't there a door when I need one?

His footsteps pause just outside the door. I'm far too tense. I'm practically anticipating him walking through that doorway just to show me up. But after a moment and he still hasn't, I start to relax. I return my attention back to the dresses. "I would recommend a simple one," Loki says, his annoyance showing clearly.

"That really doesn't help me," I mumble. I start pulling dresses off the rack to get a better look at them.

"Well, if you would allow me to enter, I could certainly help find one that is fitting."

"Ha! Nice try!" He may be a prince, but he is still male. I don't trust him that well. I continue looking through them all before finding one that looks like it would work. It's another dark blue one, but very simple. It has a sweetheart line with an empire waist. The skirt flows straight down. The only problem? It shows off my upper back and all of my scars. I glance around the room with the dress in my hands, looking for something that will cover me up but still look good with the dress. On the other wall, I find a black cloak. That will work nicely.

I wiggle my way into the dress and attempt to zip it up. I can only get it halfway up. I sigh and hang my head. You'd think designers would have learned to move the zipper so it's easier to access. Holding the upper part to my chest, I walk out the door and find Loki leaning against the wall, arms crossed, looking mildly impatient. His eyebrows raise at my choice. I can't tell if it's in approval or not, but I don't really care. I turn my back to him. "Can you zip me up?" I ask, trying not to let my discomfort show.

He doesn't answer. He does zip it up though. His hands are cool where he touches my skin. I feel his one hand trace an outline of a scar and I shiver. The only one who has ever willingly touched my scars is my Pops. I peek over my shoulder and get a glimpse of his face. He has a distant look, like he is not exactly in the room with me. I wonder what he's thinking about? I quickly remember what the Jotun man told me the last time we talked, about Loki's time with the Chitauri. If he was tortured by their hand, like Jotun Man implied, then maybe we have a lot more in common than I thought.

He at least understands my pain more than anybody else I know.

Seeming to snap out of whatever he was thinking, he lowers his hand and I turn around to face him. I just want to ask him. But at the same time, I don't. Some things from the past shouldn't be dredged up unless it absolutely has to. At the very least, there is an understanding between us that others won't get. And I think I can live with only that for a little while longer.

Finally breaking eye contact, I walk back into the closet to finish getting ready. I pull my crazy curly hair into a messy bun, tie on the cloak, and put on small black heels. After making sure the sun necklace is on, I walk back out ready to get this night over with.

Loki and I walk to the big dining hall in silence. He makes sure to stay by my side and not walk ahead of me or behind me. He doesn't hover, but I think he meant it when he said he would make sure I wouldn't fall on my face. Considering my balance is still a little off, I'm trusting his quick reflexes and response time to do just what he promised if I do fall. He will never know, but I do appreciate his offer to help me.

The feast is in full swing by the time we get there. We split up. I have no idea what he does at these things (besides brood in a corner) but I want to see my uncle and I make sure to do just that. I head to where the crowd is the thickest and loudest and gently maneuver my way through the throng of people to the center. I find him retelling the tale of his battles with Volstagg interjecting over exaggerated details here and there. I smile at the scene. Aunt Jane is sitting beside him with the twins wedged between them. Aunt Jane is giving both men a dubious look while the twins are drinking in every detail with rapt attention and awe. Lady Frigga is standing off to the side with a small smile on her face, periodically turning and talking to one of the guests about lord knows what. I allow the banter and laughter to flow over me and relax me.

It takes a few minutes, but my uncle catches sight of me out of the corner of his eye. I raise my hand in a hello and smile slightly. Bounding up, he rushes over to me and gives me a giant bear hug. "Charlie! I heard that you had recovered from your ailment. How are you feeling?"

Smiling, I say, "A little weaker and definitely tired, but much better from yesterday. I'm sorry you had to leave with me so ill, uncle."

He waves his hand, dismissing my concern. "As long as you are well, little one." He latches his arm to mine and leads me over to the table. "Come! Have some food. That should help rebuild your strength. You will be up and fighting again by tomorrow!"

I sit beside him at the table and grab a small plate of some meat and bread. I won't eat much, but it won't hurt to have something. Volstagg and Fandral both ask how I was faring as well and after reassurances that I am fine, they continue on with their stories. Hogun stands stoically behind them, ready to intervene if their stories become too fantastic. I don't see Sif anywhere nearby. I'll have to try and find her in a bit.

Magni somehow manages to wiggle his way into my lap after a few minutes and I keep a strong hold on him. I don't trust him or his brother running around at this event. Aunt Jane must have the same idea because she is keeping a close eye on Modi who is sitting in between her and Uncle Thor. It becomes apparent after a while that neither one of them are planning anything mischievous: they are far too engrossed in the stories being told around them. Not that I blame them.

After about an hour of chatting and listening, I move Magni so he is in his father's lap (not that he really noticed) and get up so I can stretch my legs and try and get some adrenaline. I'm starting to get really tired. I walk around the room some, looking for Sif. I find her at a table where there appears to be a game going on. She is the only woman at the table, but I hope she is giving all of the men a run for their money. After quietly observing from a distance, I decide I'll leave her be so she can kick their butts. I glance around the room and decide it's time I got some fresh air. I walk out of the hall and across the way to the open and empty courtyard. I jump onto the railing and lean my back against the column supporting the balcony above my head, legs stretched out across the stone. I watch and listen to the waves crashing underneath me, allowing the soothing sounds to lull me into a comfortable peace.

"Should you be out here by yourself?" a familiar voice says behind me.

I turn around. "Well, I'm hardly alone now, am I?" I respond.

"Still," Jotun Man continues, giving me a small smile at my snark, "it is not wise to wander by yourself in your state."

"Ah, you heard about my illness." Great. The whole palace probably knows.

"Of course I did," he responds, walking over and standing next to the railing I'm sitting on. He is looking out to the ocean. "Everyone in the palace was quite concerned over your welfare." His red eyes meet mine. "Try not to die on us. It might destroy the royal family if you did."

I furrow my eyebrows in mild confusion. "Why would it destroy them? Don't get me wrong, I understand why Uncle Thor, Aunt Jane, and the twins would be torn up over it. By why everyone else?"

"Are you really that daft?" he asks quietly. I glare at him. I don't think my question is an unreasonable one. I can understand why Lady Frigga would take it hard—she has cared for me like a mother would. But Odin and Loki? That's laughable. The king cares only out of duty and hospitality. He would not be destroyed emotionally if I suddenly died. Loki would probably just feel relief that I was no longer his responsibility. We may be getting along as of late, but I don't think he cares for me that deeply.

"Do not think the royal family cares for you so shallowly," he finally answers, glancing back towards the horizon. I shrug. That's obviously the only answer he is going to give me and I don't really want to push it. Well, I don't have the energy to push it.

"I cannot stay long," he says, recapturing my attention. "I came to give you a warning."

"A warning?"

"Yes. While you have been recovering, I have been… off-world. Trouble is brewing within another realm."

"What do you mean by trouble?"

He glances back over to me. "I mean, you need to get your strength back, and quickly. I fear Asgard is not safe."

That gets my entire attention. I sit up a little straighter and give him my unwavering attention. "You think there's going to be an attack?" He nods. "When?"

"I do not know."

"Why are you warning me?"

He cocks his head. "I am aware that you are adequate at protecting yourself, but you need to be prepared. These adversaries are not ones you are accustomed to fighting."

"Who are these people?"

"I'm afraid I cannot say," he says with a small smile. "If word gets around that I had been off-world, well…" he drifts off, looking back to the ocean. "Let's just say there would be hell to pay."

I nod, understanding. "Should I warn Loki? He is my guard and all."

I get a genuine smile this time. "Oh, he is fully aware of the situation."

I roll my eyes. "Of course he is. And he didn't even bother to tell me. Jerk."

He laughs. I give him a confused look. Why was that funny? He doesn't answer my unspoken question though. "I must leave now. Rest tonight. But start your training again tomorrow. You should be well enough to handle it." And with that, he turns and leaves, melting into the shadows that are created from the columns. I turn back to face the calm waves. An enemy, huh? I wonder if this is the same people that threatened Asgard? I had almost completely forgotten about my uncle's warning from my first week here. It would make sense that it would be from the same people. I need to start working on my drills again. A week off shouldn't have gotten me too far behind and I'll be better than ever once I get started again.

"Hey, Charlie!"

I turn around to see Modi running towards me. I smile and hop off the railing.

"What's up, brat?"

I get a small glare in response. He grabs my hand and starts leading me away from the massive hall. "Magni and I are going to bed. But, will you please tell us one of your amazing stories? We're not tired yet."

I smile. "Sure. What do you want to hear? A myth or do you want me to read one of my books?"

"Will you finish that tale of the boy with the magic stick?"

"You mean Harry Potter?" My smile grows even bigger. "Of course!" I'll make Potterheads out of them yet.


	15. It Begins

**A/N: yay First day of school! Yay new chapter! Yay it only being the first week and I have no homework! *hangs head* That won't last long. **

**All I can say in regards to this chapter: don't kill me. Enjoy! :D**

**Disclaimer: I only own Charlie and this plot. Everything else probably belongs to Marvel.**

It Begins

I wake up the next morning with the sun shining in my eyes. I roll over, attempting to get away from the light. Before I can get too comfortable, the conversation I had last night with Jotun Man rushes back to me and I sit up, fully alert. I have to start training again.

I throw the covers off me and immediately notice I am still wearing the dress from last night. Weird. I glance around my room, looking for anything out of place. I remember reading "Prisoner of Azkaban" to the twins until pretty late. They fell asleep on me, but rather than stopping, I kept reading. It's my favorite book out of all of them. I think I fell asleep while I was reading because I don't remember walking back to my room last night. My shoes are off and I was tucked into bed, so I can only assume someone carried me here and put me to bed. I haven't had that happen since I was a little girl. I wonder who would have done that?

Shrugging it off, I walk into my closet and change into more comfortable clothes that I can practice and fight in. I'm actually feeling awake, which is a nice change from the past few days. I tie my hair into a braid and head back out to the main part of my room. With some of the knives in my closet, I start running through some of my drills, trying to get my body back into the rhythm of fighting again. My balance is a little off, but other than that I'm moving pretty smoothly. I wish I had some targets so I can practice throwing them. Maybe I should find Loki and see if he will train with me? I'm sure he can take me where I can find some targets and maybe even give me some pointers.

Before I can leave, he actually comes and finds me first. Without knocking, he walks through my door as I am securing the three knives onto my body. Raising my eyebrow at his blatant entry, I say, "Would it kill you to knock first? I could be naked in here, you know."

"You say that as if that would stop me."

I squint at him in annoyance. "Well, it should." Mumbling more to myself than to him, I continue, "If only to save my own dignity." I stretch my arms above my head, listening to my shoulders pop. "I was wondering if you could show me to some practice ranges where I can work with my knives. I don't want my aim to get rusty."

"Only if we can go to the library first," he says. "I need to research a few things."

I nod, agreeing. Before we leave though, he walks over to my desk and begins rifling through the pages. I also walk over. The only thing on my desk now is my forgotten research. Well, not necessarily forgotten. Because I don't have access to the archives and libraries on Earth, there is no point continuing it for now. Before I can ask, he picks up one of the photos I had and starts heading towards the door. "Umm," I say, trailing after him. "What do you need that for?"

He doesn't answer me, surprise surprise. I roll my eyes and jog slightly to keep up with his longer pace. We pass through the halls pretty quickly and in silence. I can't help but wonder what he wants with that photo. I found it about it a year ago in an archive in a small village in Norway. It depicts a mural of the tree of Yggsdrasil, with other carvings including the world serpent. There are a few random cubes that are shown on the roots of the tree. No one has been able to determine what they are. A few scholars think names may have been carved on there that wore away with time. What stood out to me are the giants on one edge of it with the gods on the opposite side, obviously facing off to fight.

I've tried to find the original carving, only to find out later it was destroyed during World War 2. That photo is the only evidence that it actually existed.

"Tell me, Charlotte," Loki finally says once we are a few halls away from the library, "What exactly is your research?"

I smile slightly. I love talking about it. "I'll give you the short version: I'm looking for the battlefield that Asgard's forces defeated Jotunheim's army during their last war. It's the first time Asgard defended Earth in Earth's modern history, and I am trying to find it."

He glances away from the photo he had been scanning and over to me. "Why?"

I sigh and roll my eyes. "Even with substantial proof of this place's existence, there are many people who refuse to believe it. Even with Uncle Thor and you showing up, some say that you are no more than actors, trying to help boost the morale of Earth when we were invaded. A story our planet's governments told its people to help us believe that there were people in the universe that are on our side." I smile. "I'm trying to give them substantial proof that you are here, have been to earth, and defended us before, thus will again."

"How will finding this battlefield help with that?" he asks as we enter the library.

"The biggest argument for the naysayers is that if Asgard has visited us before, then why didn't we know about it?" I roll my eyes again. "They don't seem to realize that when that battle took place, it was only in the 900s for us. We do remember. The story is held within our myths and legends passed down through the centuries. I've been using those stories to try and hunt down that place so I can find something. A sword, armor, anything that can prove that it's not from Earth." I smile. "I'm getting so close. I can't wait for that day."

There aren't too many people in the library today. He comes to a rest beside the table we usually frequent, setting the photo down carefully. "Where did you come by this picture?" he asks, finally meeting my eyes.

I shrug. "I found it in a small village in Norway. It was when I was still looking for anything dealing with the mythology of the land." I pick up the photo and point to a rectangular object held in the hands of the giant at the edge of the mural. "That looks an awful lot like the casket my uncle would tell me about. I thought the mural would point me in the right direction." I sigh and put the photo back down. "However, I found out the original was destroyed during the second World War, so that lead became a bust."

I put the picture back down on the table. I'm still disappointed about that. "You know," Loki starts, capturing my attention again, "if you walk over to that side of the library," he points to the right, an area I haven't explored yet, "you will find maps and detailed accounts of every war Asgard has fought."

I nod. "Okay." What's he getting at?

He continues to stare at me pointedly, crossing his arms across his chest. I feel like he's trying to tell me something. "What?" I ask, finally tired of the look he is giving me.

He rolls his eyes. He glances at the photo still sitting on the table beside us, back at me, then to the area of the library he pointed out. He does this a few more times before something clicks into place in my brain. My eyes widen at the realization. He shakes his head at my obvious stupidity and he lowers his arms to his sides again.

"Oh," I breathe out. I glance over to the unexplored section of the room. I face him once again. I wonder if he realizes he just handed me the holy grail of my research with only a gentle (albeit impatient) nudge. My gaze keeps skipping from him to the bookshelves.

Oh my god, I'm stunned.

He chuckles and shakes his head at my stunned state. His laugh snaps me out of it. Before I really think about it, I throw my arms around his middle and squeeze. "I could kiss you!" I exclaim, loudly. Before I give him a chance to respond, I run off towards the holy land. A few people laugh as I pass them. I pay them no mind though, I'm far too excited.

I peruse the shelves quickly and excitedly. I don't know where I should look first. After a few moments, I grab a random book that might hold the information I am looking for. I start flipping through its pages. It's a detailed account of the war that ended up taking place on Earth. I only skim it, mainly because I'm trying to get to the actual battle. Halfway through though, I stop. "Is this cheating?" I whisper, more to myself than anything else. I look up at the neatly stacked books and think about it. I want to find the battlefield on earth using the stories and the clues that were left on earth one thousand years ago. So, if I take this information, find the battlefield by skipping the research and digging, would I be helping my cause or doing more damage to it?

I thump my head against the bookshelf and shut the book in my hand. I can't use this information. This would be too close to cheating and I just can't do that.

I walk back to the table only to find Loki still standing where I left him. He seems lost in thought. I take a seat and bang my head against the desk. Damn me and my morality. So close. All of the answers I could possibly want are right there, right in reach. But the whole point of me looking for this place is to prove that we were visited by Asgardians in the past by what was left on Earth. I guess I'm just going to have to be patient and wait until I get home to finish my research.

I hear cloth rustling and see Loki's legs turn to face his body towards me. I keep my head on the desk. I feel far too dejected to lift it. "What exactly was that?" he asks quietly.

"It was a hug," I respond into the table. I wonder how long it will take me to pick up my search when I get home? How much longer will I have to dig and search before I find this place? Maybe I should just look here. It will help me in the long run. Well, it will at least cut my dig time in half.

Ugh, I just had to be blessed with my Pops morality, didn't I?

Lifting my head back up, I glance over at Loki. He seems confused about something. He still hasn't moved from that spot and he's staring at the table. Shoving my morality crisis to the back of my head, I think back to what he just said to me. Wait a second…

"Loki, you have been hugged before, right?"

His eyes snap to mine. "Of course I have," he scoffs.

"Okay," I reply, holding my hands in front of me. "You just look like you're having a mental crisis." Glancing back at the photo, I remember why we came here in the first place. "Didn't you want to look something up?"

He nods and walks away toward whatever he might need. I watch him leave, my head cocked to the side in confusion. He seemed genuinely surprised over my reaction. Granted, now that I think about it, so am I. I'm not a touchy-feely person, but back home I'm not below giving people hugs, holding hands, etc. I do that with the twins, lady Frigga, and Aunt Jane here. I've never been close like that to Loki though. The closest we have gotten physically is when he held my arm after I initially recovered from my illness. And our first fight, but that doesn't count. I know it was because he basically gave me the keys to my career, but I wouldn't normally react like that to people I don't know. Or people I'm not comfortable around.

I didn't realize just how comfortable I've gotten with him around. I wonder when that happened?

And if his reaction is anything to go by, he's taken aback too. I'm sure he wasn't lacking in the affection department—especially with Frigga as a mother—but his reaction was too genuine to be ignored. He has gotten physical affection from someone outside of his family, right? He is, like, over one thousand years old. He's had to have had friends and girlfriends and whatnot in that time, right?

Oh, god, uncomfortable thoughts.

I spy him returning out of the corner of my eye and I shove all of these thoughts into my Best Not to Think About box and decide to think on it later. Maybe the next time I see Sif I'll ask her. What's life without a little girl talk? And maybe she can shed some light on why he acted that way.

I rest my head on my crossed arms on the table and pout. Now I have nothing to do. He takes a seat across from me and raises an eyebrow at my book-less state. I sigh and answer his unspoken question. "It would be cheating if I got the information I need from a source not from Earth. Thanks for the offer though."

"You are an odd mortal," he says.

"Tell me something I don't know."

Our morning passes without further incident. In fact, our entire week passes without further incident. Loki and I fall back into our routine like a well-oiled machine. The only difference is I am waiting on pins and needles for that impending attack I was warned about. I stretch every morning and every night and go through my practice drills like a mad woman. I try not to push myself too hard though—enough to make me tired enough that I pass out and don't dream, but not bad enough to make me sore. It's a tough balance most of the time.

I practiced with Sif about two days ago. Ever since I practiced with Loki, I can actually hold my own against Sif now. She's still better than me, for obvious reasons, but I can stay on my own feet for at least twice the amount of time, and she isn't hitting me with the flat of her blade when I leave an area undefended. I won't say I've mastered the weapon, but I am immensely better than when I started.

I did bring up Loki's strange reaction to her when we were done. She didn't seem that fazed by his reaction. We were walking along the halls, heading towards the dining hall to have lunch when I brought it up. After telling her everything—and giving her the very short version of what I do on Earth- I said, "I find his reaction to a simple hug so weird. Please tell me the man has been given some form of affection over the years or I might have to start pitying him."

She laughed. "Oh, do not pity him. I do not think he will take to that kindly." I smiled in response. Nope, no he would not. "And in answer to your question, yes, of course he was shown affection. But you have to understand that things have changed over the past few decades and Asgardian culture is different from yours."

"What do you mean?" I asked, taking a seat on one of the benches inside the dining hall.

"Unless you are family or very close friends, we do not show physical affection to one another," she answered, ignoring the food in favor of explaining this to me. "We are all very formal and showing that level of affection to strangers is almost unheard of. From what I understand, the people of Earth are a little more free with how they show their affection. You have less time to live than we do, so I think that may be why. When it comes to Loki, things have always been a little different for him." She paused, collecting her thoughts.

"Loki was never starved for attention when we were growing up. Obviously when we got older, physical affection that you showcased to him became scarcer only because we got older. I will admit, women tended to show their interest more towards Thor than Loki, but as I understand it, he was never without a lover if he needed or wanted one." I cringed slightly. I really didn't want to know that, but oh well. "However, people have become cautious around Loki since he tried to take the throne of Asgard. People did not realize the extent of his power until then and now tend to walk around him like one would walk on egg shells."

"So, you're saying people are afraid of him."

"Yes." She sighed and looked away. "He was probably completely thrown off guard by your actions. For someone who is used to everyone avoiding them, to find someone who is not afraid of them, that can throw any monster off guard."

"But he's not a monster," I said, somewhat defensively. "Yeah, he's made bad decisions and been a royal pain in the ass, but that doesn't make someone a monster."

She smiled sadly. "You would be one of the few who thinks that way. And trust me when I say, Loki thinks the same about himself. I may not be a good friend of his, but even I can tell that much."

Sif just had to give me more to think about.

I've been trying my hardest since then to not let on just how much I want to talk to him about it. He brushed it off like it was no big deal, so I'm trying to as well.

Currently, we're sparing on a balcony overlooking the bifrost and bridge. Loki was feeling restless and decided to help me practice my blades. Much like when he trained me with the short sword, he's been showing me how to better use my knives and how to use them to cause the most damage. Thankfully, he doesn't have to show me much simply because I've been working with knives since I was thirteen. I'm pretty familiar with how they are used by now. Unlike last time, though, I've asked him to use his magic how he would if he were fighting an enemy. I told him it's because I want a bigger challenge. He's challenging enough on his own without his magic. I really just wanted to see him use it.

He currently has me surrounded. Literally. Everywhere I turn there is another Loki, smirking at me. I sigh. "Like one of you isn't enough?" I ask to them all. I grip the knives in my hands tighter. If I can find the real one, I can ignore the others. But first…

I throw one of the knives to one of the Loki's and watch as it soars straight through him and becomes wedged in the column behind him. Okay, so they disperse when faced with force. I wonder if they can actually fight though? The two on either side of that one take a step to fill in the gap. I should probably get my knife back. Cracking my neck, I charge towards the two Loki's. I try to keep relaxed when I get closer because if they do disperse, I won't go stumbling through them and lose my balance, and if they are solid it will help with the impact.

Turns out their solid.

One grabs hold of my arm and spins us to stop my momentum. I immediately flip around his arm, wrap my legs around his neck and flip him to the ground. I move onto the next one that is moving in and spar with him. I'm able to use the knife in my hand to cut across his face and he disappears too. The others are keeping their distance, watching me fight. "Oh come on," I taunt, walking over to my knife and pulling it out of the wood, "Please tell me you all can do better than that."

After that, it's just a blur of motion as two or three of them attack me at time. All of them disperse fairly quickly though: I think his clones are mainly for distraction rather than actual fighting. It's not long before there are only two left. I'm panting, but still have enough energy to fight. "You're better with knives than I thought," one of them says.

I shrug. "After eleven years of practice, anyone would be."

He smiles. "You're good, but not good enough."

I smile in response. I throw my knife at the one on the left in response and charge the other one. My guess was right. My knife goes straight through his head and he disappears. I attempt to cut Loki across the throat but he bends out of the way and retaliates in kind. We fight hand-to-hand for ten minutes, neither one of us getting the upper hand. I'm starting to slow down, though. His clone army was a good strategy because now I am tired and Loki has only just gotten started. He cuts my cheek with one of his knives and I get his arm. He manages to get a hold of my wrist. I try to punch him with my left arm, but he is able to capture it and pin it back. He is squeezing my right wrist to get me to drop my knife. Before long, I do. I lift my right leg and kick him in the stomach in an attempt to get him to let go.

He stumbles backwards, but he doesn't let me go. All that really did was make me lose my balance and I end up falling on him. My weight pushes us both to the ground and he quickly flips us so he has me pinned. I attempt to get free but he has me solidly pinned to the ground. I groan and flop my head onto the stone. He won. Rather than continuing to struggle, I relax and allow my body to rest. I know when I'm defeated.

"Well, this is an upgrade from when we last fought," I pant out, trying to recapture my breath.

"Why is that?" he questions. He doesn't even look like he broke a sweat. That is so not fair.

"Last time you had a knife to my throat. Not exactly comfortable." I glance over to where his hands are still pining mine to the ground. "Can you let me up now?"

He immediately backs off, flipping to sit next to me. I sit up, rubbing my right wrist. I can see some bruises coming in from when he squeezed it. I also feel the cut on my cheek, and feel the blood that's started to trail down my face. "You must love cutting my face or something. This is the second time you have," I say, elbowing his arm. I'm not that annoyed about it. When fighting with knives, cuts are an inevitability.

Before I have a chance to realize what's going on, one of his hands is cupping my face while the other wraps around my wrist. He has a look of concentration on his face and I feel my skin start to tingle. The sensation sends shivers down my spine. I try to remain still, even though all I want to do is pull away. Before long, the sensation ends and he pulls his hands away. I feel my cheek and find no sting. Glancing at my wrist, all of the bruises are gone as well.

"I didn't know you could heal," I say, genuinely surprised, still feeling my cheek.

He smiles. "I can heal small injuries, like cuts and bruises. That is all."

"Thank you." He nods his head as a response. "Why didn't you do that the first time we fought?" I add with a small smirk.

"I didn't like you then."

"Oh, and you do now?"

"You're tolerable now."

"Just tolerable?" I place a hand over my heart in mock hurt. "That hurts, you know."

He rolls his eyes. I smile. It's fun poking at him like this. It feels like we are more like friends now, instead of just bodyguard and charge. I hope I am not the only one who feels that way.

Now that I am fully rested and feeling somewhat back to normal, I stand up and gather my various knives that are strewn over the balcony. Loki stands as well. We both start heading towards the hallway to head back to the personal wing where I was planning on helping the twins with their lessons. In all actuality, I'm probably just going to continue reading them Harry Potter, as it is a lesson on Earth culture. And to say Harry Potter is not an important cultural artifact would be a lie. A horrendous and evil lie.

Before we can walk into the hallway, there is a massive flash of purple light and a sound that can only be described as a rushing waterfall from behind us. We both turn around. Some way down the rainbow bridge, there is a massive purple energy pouring from the sky. It reminds me of the bifrost when it is active. As we watch, figures start pouring out of it. "Were we expecting company?" I ask to the figure standing behind my shoulder.

"No," is his immediate response.

"Great." The attack has finally arrived.

After another moment, the purple energy disappears, leaving a huge amount of people standing there. They are too far away to tell what they look like, but I can only imagine that they are not friendly. I see long objects held in their arms and yellow lights are being ejected out of them to everything around them.

As I watch, one figure in the front turns towards me. Eyes widening, I don't get a chance to move as the yellow energy comes rocketing towards me.

**A/N: Sorry not sorry**


	16. Fire and Ice

**A/N: Okay, so the reason for the two updates? I'm finally writing the scenes that made me want to write this fic in the first place. This chapter and the next one (or two) are the whole reason for why I am writing this. I pray to god, I have given it justice. And the other reason? I have no adequate respect for tomorrow and felt the need to keep writing. Yay, 2am updates! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of money making ability**

Fire and Ice

An arm wraps around my waist and pulls me down to the ground as the energy blast rips through the stone of the railway and into the walls of the hallway. I peek around my arms and see the army is still a ways off. That is one powerful gun if it can travel that distance and still cause that much damage. I glance behind me to see Loki kneeling behind me, his hand still on my side to keep me down. He is watching the advancing army. I also look back at them. Now what?

With a sudden flash, I think of the twins and Aunt Jane. I quickly get up, still bent over so any incoming blasts can't accidentally hit me. "Loki, I have to get to the twins and Aunt Jane. They are sitting ducks in this!"

Another blast rockets over my head and I drop to my knees. Shit. "You're right," he finally says. He grabs my hand and we make a dash for the hallway. We round the corner right as an energy blast rips through the wall, taking out the corner and raining stone over my head. As we run past hallway after hallway, I notice all of the men in golden armor are running against us, impeding our movements slightly. They are headed toward the threat while we are trying to get away from it. Loki never releases his hold on my hand though, and I am grateful. I probably would have gotten swept away.

We are close to the personal wing. I no longer see any golden-armored guards and assume they are all fighting at the front of the palace. We turn a corner and Loki immediately wraps an arm around my waist again and pulls me back. We both peak around the corner. There are enemy fighters heading towards the main hallway. This close to them, I can finally see what they look like. They are humanoid, which isn't surprising. They are tall, with long limbs and long knobbly fingers. I notice their red/orange irises almost right away. Their heads are a little more elongated and they all have white bumps along the temple of their heads, going back into their hairlines.

Overall, they're not a pretty bunch.

"What are they doing back here?" I whisper to Loki without taking my eyes off of them. They are moving slowly, heading towards the rooms lining the end of the hallway. Modi, Magni, and Aunt Jane should be in the twins' room. We need to move and soon.

"I assume the army we saw earlier was nothing more than a distraction," he whispers back.

"They're going after the king's family," I mumble in sudden realization. "With them dead, they think Odin would be completely broken and unable to fight back." Loki hums in agreement. "What's the plan?"

"I will cause a distraction. Get around them and get to the twins. They will know what to do." And with that, I feel his arm disappear from around my waist. I look over my shoulder to see he's gone. I face forward once again, waiting for him to get a move on. The enemy is almost to my room, and I will not allow them to get any closer to the twins' room, even if I have to fight them myself.

After another moment of tense waiting, ten Loki's spring to life, stopping the advancing men in their tracks. (Well, I assume they're men. I really can't tell.) With all of their attention on Loki, I move quickly and quietly behind them. The many Loki's engage them and I am able to run past it all towards the end of the hall. I glance one last time behind me to see the fight. I feel guilty for not helping him, but I'm going to have to trust that he can fight them off on his own.

I burst through the twins' door to find them and Aunt Jane huddled together. I slam the door shut behind me. "Charlie!" Aunt Jane exclaims. I run over and give her a hug. This must be terrifying for her. Well, it's terrifying for me too, but I can't dwell on it or I will delve into a panic.

I crouch down in front of the twins. Magni is trying hard to look like he's excited, but I can see his hands shaking. Modi is remaining stoic in light of everything. They are handling this better than I thought. "Boys, I need to you to follow everything I say, and quickly. Okay?" After getting two nods, I continue. "Your Uncle Loki told me you two know what to do in this situation. Tell me."

Modi swallows and straightens. "There's a panic door connected to our room that leads into Grandfather and Grandmother's room. From there, there is a secret passage that can be used that leads out of the palace and to the outskirts of the city. In case of an attack, the royal family and heirs to the throne are required to use that to flee." He says all of that in a rush and I am barely able to follow. I nod though.

"Do you know where the panic door is?"

Nodding, Magni walks over to the fireplace. He walks straight inside and pushes against the rock wall behind it. There is a grinding noise and the wall slides to the side, revealing a hidden doorway that leads into the master room. "Great," I say. I push Modi so he will follow his brother through the door, then grab Aunt Jane's hand. I lead her through the passage and help Magni push the door back into place. From this side, it looks as if there is absolutely no seam, giving no indication to outsiders that there is even a door there. Genius.

Alright, time to find the tunnel.

Before I can question the boys where that might be, the massive door leading to the main hallway creaks open. I spin around, pulling out one of my knives to face whoever was coming through that door. I relax upon seeing the queen. She shuts the door quickly and rushes over to us. "Come, we must leave quickly. There are more goblins headed this way."

"Goblins?" I question. Oh my god, those are goblins? That is not what I would expect goblins to look like. Pushing my curiosity aside, I follow the royal family to the center of the room. There is a circle of six stone columns here with a Celtic mural inlaid on the floor. Frigga presses one of the knots with her foot and the center of the mural slides away to reveal stairs leading down into a dark abyss. Frigga flicks her hand and torches light along the path.

"Come along, dears," she says, looking to the twins. "Let's move quickly." After the twins are down, Aunt Jane follows them. Frigga looks at me and I shake my head. I'll go last. I haven't turned my back on the door yet, not trusting us to be safe just yet.

Frigga follows her family down right as the door is blasted open. I jump away from the blast that almost hit my side, ultimately moving away from the passage. "Charlie!" I hear one of the boys yell. Double shit.

I roll onto my feet and watch as four goblins walk into the room, laser guns pointed at the ready. Rather than wait for them to start shooting, I throw my two knives. They both land in the necks of two of them and they crumble to the floor. I rush towards the remaining too, only bending down to retrieve the knife out of the neck of one of the goblins to use as my weapon. I have to twist and turn to avoid their fire, but I somehow manage to. All of my life's training comes to me in a quick rush. I'm able to quickly kill the one closest to me and I rip the gun out of the second goblins hands before striking him down as well.

With the immediate threat gone, I glance behind me. One of the blasts hit one of the columns and it crumpled on top of the passage. Eyes widening in horror, I rush over there. "Frigga! Jane! Boys! Can you hear me? Please tell me you're all okay!" I yell. I attempt to push the massive rock out of the way, but there is no way I could do that.

I hear some muffled coughing before Frigga responds. "Yes! We are all fine!"

"Charlie!" I hear the boys shout. I rest my head against the stone for a moment.

"Boys, I'm fine!" I shout back. "I need you to listen to me. Don't be scared. I'm going to be alright. You need to protect your mom and your grandma right now, okay? Can you do that for me?" I hear what suspiciously sounds like a sniff. "It's okay to be afraid. Just remember to be brave. I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Okay, Charlie."

I sigh. "Aunt Jane, Frigga, please be careful."

"We'll be fine, Charlie," Aunt Jane says.

"Loki should be at the front of the palace helping Thor and Odin," Frigga says. "Go find him. He will help keep you safe."

I nod. Crap, they can't see that. "Okay, I will. I'll see you all soon."

I immediately stand and face the destroyed doorway. I don't know how many enemies stand between me and the front of the palace, but I'm going to assume a lot. I walk over to the fallen goblins and retrieve my other knife. I'm going to need more than just two. I make my way cautiously to my room and slip inside. I strap a few more to my belt and arms, just in case. I keep the first two naked in my hands. For extra insurance, I strap the short sword to me as well. Right now, there's no such thing as too many weapons.

I make my way back towards the front of the palace, only coming across a few goblins on the way. Obviously the bulk of the battle is taking place there. I attempt to steal one of their weapons to use (guns are always better in a fight), but they only seem to work if a goblin is holding them. I tried firing it at one of their own, and nothing happened. That was tedious.

I finally find Loki in the antechamber outside the throne room. He's fighting about ten of the goblins at once. I pick off a few more as I try and make my way to him. Where the hell are they all coming from? I see one try to move in behind Loki to take him by surprise. Kicking the one I am fighting away from me, I unsheathe one of my knives and throw it. The goblin goes down. I turn my attention back to the one I was fighting. After a mild skirmish, I'm able to cut his throat using my short sword. I grimace at the green blood covering my blade.

If I don't have nightmares about this, I'll be shocked.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Loki shouts behind me. I spin around to face him. It appears he has taken down all of his opponents already. Damn.

"The passage got blocked," I respond, walking over to him. I keep my eyes scanning around the room. I don't want to be surprised if more of the enemy crawling out of the woodwork. As it stands, I wouldn't doubt it if they did.

"What about-?"

"They got out fine. A column fell on the passage before I could get through."

"You should have stayed there."

I glare at him. "And what would that have done? I'm of more use here than standing guard at a thoroughly blocked passage that no living thing can move on their own."

"It will be more difficult to fight this attack and keep you safe simultaneously with you here," he says, matching my glare.

"Don't worry. I won't be that much of a nuisance."

A laser blasts through the throne room doors, making us both duck down. Loki immediately springs back up and takes the goblin out with one of his knives. I also get back up. It's a madhouse in there. Yellow energy blasts are jumping all over the place as goblins and Asgardians fight hand-to-hand. I see a burst of light at the end of the massive room and see Uncle Thor using his hammer to conjure lightning. As I continue to watch in sickening awe, I notice one small detail.

Some of them are throwing fire.

Now, when I say throwing fire, I mean literally throwing fire. Not many are using this particular technique—in fact, I only notice three do so—but it's enough to make my stomach twist uncomfortably. "Higher class goblins can summon fire," Loki says, obviously noticing my stare. "I would recommend avoiding them."

He really didn't have to tell me that. Although, I'm going to avoid them for an entirely different reason than what Loki is thinking.

Grabbing my arm, he jerks me so I am facing him. "If you are going to stay to fight, then you better stay close to me. I cannot protect you if you are on the other side of the room."

I blink up at him. His eyes are intense and I don't dare fight him on this. I simply nod, letting him know that I understand. Hell, I would attach myself to his freaking belt if I could. I don't know how I am handling this all so well, considering this is my first battle. I just am. Finally breaking eye contact, I turn and face the room. Might as well get this over with.

Once I am inside the room, I want to be back out of it. It is absolute chaos. There is shouting and screaming, laser firing and the sound of metal hitting metal. I can barely process who is enemy and who is friend when it comes to fighting them all. I fight alongside Loki mainly on autopilot, attacking anything in red and avoiding those that are gold. I mainly try to keep my eyes on those that are sprouting fire from their hands like a crazy magic trick. Part of me is fascinated, while the other is completely sickened. I really don't want to think what that might imply.

And, of course, because I was trying to avoid them, two of the flame throwers converged on us within a few seconds. Loki had his back turned, fighting off a few of the laser gun users. I only noticed them approach out of the corner of my eye. I turn my head. My body moves before I can process what they are doing. I shove Loki out of the way right as the flames erupt from their hands. I throw my arms over my head in an effort to protect myself from the heat. However, it's not completely unbearable. Before I can counter-attack, they are met with an icy wind. And when I say icy, I mean frozen. They froze within a few seconds, completely encased in ice. I lower my arms and look to where that came from.

"Jotun Man?" I question. I can only see his profile, but his arm is still extended and he looks slightly pissed. "What are you doing here?" He turns to fully face me. My jaw drops. No. No way. It can't be. "Loki?"

Half of his face is blue. The other is the face of my bodyguard. As I continue to watch, the blue completely recedes only to reveal the face of Loki. "You're the Jotun Man?" I question, probably a little too quietly in the loud roar of the battle waging around us.

"It took you long enough to figure it out."

Before I can respond, I see red armor running full tilt towards me out of the corner of my eye. I twist and throw a knife at him. I turn back around only to see Loki engaged in the fight again. "You freaking liar!" I shout at him, also reengaging in the fight. Better to punch the lights out of the enemy rather than my bodyguard.

"It is not like I was hiding it!" he shouts, twisting the neck of the goblin in his grasp.

"Well it's certainly not like you told me either!" I jump on the back of a particularly tall goblin and shove one of my knives deep into his neck. I close my eyes as the green blood squirts out. Can you say, eww?

"Oh, if we are going to go on about liars," he starts, grabbing onto my forearm so he we can be face-to-face, "what was with that fire earlier?"

I narrow my eyes. "What about it?"

We separate when more of the enemy shows up. I twist my body around the thing and snap his neck, flipping him to the ground and landing on my feet. Loki grabs me from behind and pulls me out of the way of a laser shot that would have hit my head if I remained where I was. "You should have burned," he whispers in my ear, not letting me go. "Why didn't you?"

"I don't know," I yell back at him. Before I can continue, I spy Fandral and Volstagg go sailing across the room. I watch them as they land. Volstagg gets back up and charges head first into the large throng of goblins in front of him, shouting and swinging his ax as he goes. Fandral is waving his fencer-like sword, laughing all the while. "Jolly good, men!" he shouts. "Keep trying and you may just beat me!"

What, is he an idiot? "Is he always like that?" I ask Loki.

"Yes," he responds with an air of annoyance.

"This is not an amusement park," I whisper. Loki finally lets go when more goblins notice us. I'm starting to get really tired of this. If this is anywhere close to what the Avengers fought during the Battle of New York, I don't know how they kept fighting. As it stands, I'm already starting to slow down and my awareness is not as sharp as it was. If it weren't for Loki, I probably would have lost my head a dozen times.

After a couple of minutes, Loki and I get separated. Some of the goblins shoved their way in between us and made sure to keep it that way. Oddly enough, they seem to be converging on me. I attack any of them that get too close, but for right now they seem to be just circling me. I don't know why. I back up, keeping my eyes as wide as they can be so my peripheral is wider. I don't see Loki anywhere and I'm trying really hard not to panic.

Long arms wrap themselves around my waist and the rest of them converge. I get lifted up off the floor by the one who is attached to my waist and I cry out, kicking at the ones trying to get a hold of me. I try and twist my body so I can get myself free, but that doesn't work. Two more grab a hold of my arms, rendering them useless. Two more grab my kicking legs and pin them together. Now I can't freaking move. I don't understand. Why are they not killing me?

I don't like being tied down, or anything close to being bound. I'm starting to slip into a panic as my past starts to overshadow the room I'm in. Oh god, not now. I gasp, trying to get myself to calm down and stave off the inevitable. But the sound of the whip is resounding in my ears and I can't go back there I can't go through that again and they are keeping me pinned down and shit!

Before I know it, I scream. And with that, flames erupt from my body.

The goblins are immediately incinerated and I fall to the floor on my back. The flames flicker and die out and with it the remaining vestiges of my energy. I lay there, staring up at the high ceiling trying to regain my breath. A few tears slip from my eyes. Oh god, what have I done?

I hear boots walking close to my head. A face appears above mine, one I do not recognize. He's handsome, obviously older than me. He has the characteristic red eyes of the goblins, along with their strange pearl like beads lining along his temple, disappearing into his brown hair which is tied back from his face. He has high cheekbones, straight nose, tanned skin. He looks at me with such curiosity. I glare up at him. He is a goblin, which means he is my enemy. I just don't have the energy to even move a muscle.

One of his long-fingered hands grabs hold of my neck. I clasp my hands around his, purely out of reflex. He lifts me up into a vertical position. He isn't choking me, but it is really uncomfortable. He cocks his head to the side. I try to keep my breathing even as I pull weakly against his hand. If I could, I would set this bastard on fire too. But I'm all used up. Darkness is pulling at the edges of my vision and I try to fight it off.

Suddenly, his eyes widen and a look of pure shock moves across his face. I still, curious at what would cause such a change. I blink rapidly, attempting not to pass out. "Sigyn," he whispers in a deep voice.

"What?" I croak back. What the hell is a sigyn?

His eyes glance to the side. I finally take notice of my surroundings. There is a ring of goblins around us, shielding us from the battle still being waged. I blink one more time. I can't fight it anymore. I allow the darkness to take over, falling limp into the enemies arms. My last thought before I completely lose consciousness is about Loki, and where the hell is he?


	17. Waterworks

**A/N: This chapter was a pain in the ass. Luckily for you all, I decided to be nice and not leave you with a cliffhanger again. :D Especially considering the likelihood of me going on a mini hiatus is very probable. . We'll see. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy and, as always, let me know what you think! **

**Disclaimer: I wish Loki was mine, but sadly he is not. **

Waterworks

When I finally come around, I realize I am lying on the cold stone floor. I blink up at the ceiling a few times, trying to become fully conscious. I sit up and catalogue the damage. I feel a few bruises along my arms and legs, and notice I have a few cuts as well. Overall, for coming out of a battle, I'm not badly injured. Luckily, all of my clothes are still in place after I became a raging inferno. I never understood why my clothes never burned up, but I'm thankful that they don't now. I'm still very drained from when I pulled that stunt. There are many reasons for why I don't conjure my fire and the main one is because it seems to completely sap my energy within a few seconds. I physically shake my head to try to get my blood flowing. I need to get out of wherever this is.

I stand up slowly and look around the room. It's empty. And when I say empty, I mean empty. It's not surprising—the palace is riddled with empty stone rooms. I see the door at the other side of the long room and start walking towards it. I need to find Loki and punch him for a few reasons.

Before I can get halfway across the room, I run into something. It feels like I ran into a wall. I stumble back and rub my nose in slight annoyance. I stare ahead of me and see nothing out of the ordinary. I cautiously put my hand up and move it forward. It comes to a stop against something that I can't see. Pressing my palm fully against it, I stare at the invisible barrier in bewilderment. I run my hand down it and jut my foot out to only be met with more resistance. I walk along the length of the room, my hand never leaving its surface. As suspected, the barrier stretches the full width of the room. I jump up only to be met with the same resistance when I slap my hand against it. I can only assume that it goes all the way up to the high ceiling.

I groan out in frustration. I'm trapped in here.

I rest my head against the invisible wall and stare at the door. I'm going to have to wait for someone to find me. That may take forever, depending on where I am. I wonder how I got here in the first place? While I stare, the door, unbelievably, creaks open. I immediately straighten and watch wide-eyed as two Asgardian guards walk through the door, scanning the room. "Hey!" I shout, slamming my hand against the wall. "Get me out of here!"

Their eyes pass right over me. They have to see that I am here, right? I'm standing right here! I pound my hand against the barrier, trying to get their attention. "Hey, I'm right here!" I shout out. They exchange a few words. I can't hear what they say. My eyes widen in horror as they turn around and head back out the door. "Wait! Come back! Get me out of here!"

"There's no point in screaming," a deep voice says behind me as I watch the door swing shut. I spin around to face the new voice. It's the goblin man I saw before I passed out. He is leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his red-armored chest. "They cannot hear you or see you."

"Let me go," I demand. I know it was him that put me here—wherever here is. He is the one keeping me here, so he is the one who can break this barrier.

He grins. "I am afraid I cannot do that quite yet."

"Why not?"

"Well, even if I wanted to, I do not have the ability to lower that barrier," he says, standing on his own two feet and walking towards me slowly. "You see, I am nothing more than a duplicate." As I watch, his entire form flickers like a bad hologram. "My real body is busy having a lively discussion with Odin and his sons right now."

He keeps advancing towards me. I'm already backed against the barrier and can't move away from him. I square my shoulders and refuse to back away from him. If he's just a duplicate, then he can't really hurt me. Right?

"You said quite yet," I repeat, trying to stay strong in front of this somewhat creepy guy. "Why can't you let me go now?"

He comes to a stop right in front of me. "I am waiting for my demands to be met."

"What demands?"

"Oh nothing of real importance," he says, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture. "Just the bifrost, the destruction of this palace and the living heirs of Asgard, and you."

I narrow my eyes at him. "Odin would never kill his own family or give you the bifrost." He smirks at me. "And what do you want with me?"

His eyes soften and a morose look crosses his face. "I wish to take you home," he whispers.

Ummm, ew, no way in hell. A disgusted look must have crossed my face and his eyes narrow in anger. "I would watch how you treat me, Sigyn. I am not a kind person."

There's that name again. "Look, I don't know who the hell you are or what you might be planning with me—and frankly, I don't want to know—but let me get one thing straight: my name is Charlotte, not Sigyn. You might want to get that small delusion out of your head."

"Charlotte," he mutters, stepping away from me. "Is that the name she gave you?"

Okay now I'm just confused. "She?" I ask.

"Your mother."

I take a step back. "I don't have a mother." Not in the traditional sense anyway. I have a biological mom, but she left me at the doorstep to a hospital with no last name and no way to track her down. I have no idea what happened to her, and I don't really care to know anyway. She let me go for whatever reason and I'm perfectly okay with leaving it that way.

His eyes fill with pain. "Yes," he mumbles to himself, turning away from me. I scratch my head in mild confusion. What is this guy trying to do? Confuse the hell out of me? Because it's working. While his back is turned, I take a few steps away from him and the barrier, trying to stand somewhere where I won't get cornered in case he decides to just attack me. I really wish I had my knives on me right now.

After a few moments of tense silence, he spins around to face me, the look of pain wiped clean from his face. "I suppose I should introduce myself. I am King Tnumer, ruler of the Goblin race." He seems to be waiting for some kind of a response. I simply raise my eyebrow at him. I really could care less. If he thinks his title as a king is going to faze me, it won't. I've had my fair share of royals in the past month, and he really is nowhere near as intimidating as Odin is.

Ignoring my lack of response, he turns back around and starts pacing the small enclosure. "Tell me, Charlotte," he says, hesitating slightly before he says my name. "How old are you now?"

I cross my arms over my chest. This guy is just setting off my creep radar like no other. "Twenty four."

He nods. "And how long have you been able to produce fire?"

"Ten years. Why?" I'm not going to elaborate and this little game of twenty questions is starting to irritate me.

He watches me out of the corner of his red eyes. "I'm sure you are aware that only high class goblins can produce fire, as was demonstrated in that little skirmish earlier." I raise my eyebrow at his description of the battle. "Usually we do not unlock our abilities until we are fully mature. However, during times of high stress, our fire will come forth to protect us at a younger age if need be." He stops pacing and faces me.

"As interesting as this physiological lesson is," I say, trying really hard not to roll my eyes. "Is there a reason you are telling me?"

He shakes his head slightly. "You look so much like your mother."

I sigh. "Can you please stick with one topic? I'm starting to get whiplash."

He opens his mouth to answer me, but before he can utter a syllable, he disappears. I glance around the small room. Not seeing him, I take the opportunity to see if the barrier is still there. I hope it disappeared with him. I hold out my hand as I walk. It comes into contact with the invisible wall and I deflate. Damnit. I just want to get out of here!

A few seconds later, he returns. Only this time, flames are licking up his hands and arms and his eyes are glowing a deeper red. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that he is pissed about something. He walks forward and punches the barrier, growling as he does so. He continues with this action for another minute longer. I stay as far back as I can. His fire can't hurt me, but I'm not going to risk capturing his attention anyway.

He spins around to face me. "They will not give you to me!" he shouts. I smirk. I knew they wouldn't. "Even knowing exactly what and who you are, they will not hand you over!" He continues to rant about Odin, throwing in some colorful insults and threats of what he will do to him once he has enough power to do so. I tune him out though. What did he mean by what I am?

Before I can ask, he stalks up to me and grabs hold of my upper arms. "You must agree to come with me! They cannot stop you if you agree to leave."

What is he, stupid? "No way! I would never leave my family for some crazy goblin king that can't even stay on one topic of conversation!"

"Sigyn," he growls out in warning.

"My name is Charlotte!" I yell back.

"It is not!" he yells, tossing me back. I stumble but I'm able to remain on my feet. "Your name is Sigyn. It was the name I gave to you the day you were born."

"What?" I whisper out. No. That can't be. There's no way he's my…

He ignores me in favor of ranting about Odin again. "If he honestly thinks he is going to keep me away from my own daughter now that I have found her after all these years—oh, but he probably thinks he can, the old fool." Before I can try and question what the hell he is talking about, he flickers out of existence again. The sudden silence is deafening. Daughter? I'm _his_ daughter? How can that even be possible? But I'm human. There's no way I can be...

Before I am able to delve into an existential crisis, he reappears. However, his form's constant flickering is enough to drive me mad. "This is your last chance, Sigyn," he says. I glare at him. "Come with me and I will not have to do something drastic."

I don't even have to think about it. "No. You want to destroy the people I love. There is no way I will go with you, not now, not ever."

His glare intensifies. "I see." He winks out of existence yet again. God, I hope that's for the last time. I head towards the barrier again. I have to try and get out. Before I can get too far, though, water rushes out of the farther wall. "What the hell?" I whisper. It's nothing more than maybe what a fire sprinkler would release, but it's enough to adequately distract me from what I was doing. The water streams across the floor, but doesn't escape the barrier. I watch the stream as it grows bigger in size. Wait a second. I look around the enclosure that I am in. There is no window or doorway on my half of the room, and no way for the water to drain out. It doesn't take long for the water to start rising higher. It's been a few minutes and there's already half an inch of it on the ground.

"I want to play a game." He's back. I spin to face him. He has a mad shine in his eyes and I take a step back. "Tell me, what is your relationship with Odin's disgraced son?"

I glare. "His name is Loki. And he's my guard."

His mouth stretches into a manic little smile. "Well, he appears to be taking your disappearance quite hard. I'm leaving it to him to find you in time."

"In time for what?" I have a feeling I know what it is, but I need to hear him say it or I will just delude myself.

"This chamber will fill with water, slowly but surely. He has until sundown to find you or this room will be fully encased in water. A bad place to be for a firestarter."

"Why are you doing this?" I ask.

"If you will not join _me_, your father, then you will not join anyone." He turns his back on me. "Oh, and remember, that barrier prevents people from seeing and hearing you."

"Then how is Loki supposed to find me?" I ask. I'm trying really hard to not let my rising panic choke my voice.

He doesn't answer me. His duplicate winks out of existence and I am left there, watching the water pour out of the wall in stunned silence. I turn back so I can see the doorway. There is a window on the other half of the room and I can see the sun is shining, even if it seems to be a little dim. It must be morning now. I only have until sundown. Okay, my panic is starting to rise. I can't handle water and I have a massive fear of drowning ever since I was captured in that horror house. Now I have nothing to do but await my impending death by drowning and I can't even stop it.

I wade my way through the ankle deep water to the barrier and begin pounding on it. There's no point in screaming, nobody can hear me anyway. But maybe I can bust my way through it? What I wouldn't give to have Mjolnir right now. I bet that could make quick work of whatever this is. I pound on the wall until my hands are sore. I only stop when I see blood trailing down my hand. Stumbling back from it, I glance around the room, futilely looking for anything that could help me. I cradle my bleeding hand to my chest and stand there, watching the water rise to touch my calves.

I can't get out of this one. I few tears slip down my face at the realization.

I may actually die today.

OoO

The water is about waist level now. I figure it's been about an hour, maybe two. I'm trying very hard not to panic. I'm pacing the room like a wild animal, if only to keep moving and get my mind off of the steadily rising water. It has a long way to go before it reaches the ceiling, but I am still trapped, the clock is ticking, the water is rising, and I really don't see an end in sight.

Well, I do. But I don't like that ending.

Okay, now the water is almost to my boobs. I sigh out the breath I had been unconsciously holding. It's getting harder to pace the room. I won't be surprised if I died from exhaustion more than anything else. I continue walking though.

_ Charlotte…_

I glance around the room. I've been keeping the door within my eyesight. I may be invisible and mute to anyone who walks through that door, but it doesn't mean I can't try and get them to notice me. There are moments over the past ten minutes that I swear I hear my name. It's starting to drive me mad. Every time I hear it, I turn to the door in an excited splash only to find I am still alone. Maybe the panic is starting to drive me insane? Oh great, another problem to pile on top of all the ones I haven't been thinking about.

_Charlotte._

There it is again. It was louder this time, more persistent. I narrow my eyes at the room. There is still no one around. What the hell is going on?

_Charlie!_

I wince at the volume of the shout. "What?" I shout back. Well, if I'm going mad, might as well dive in with open arms.

_Finally,_ the voice says. _I have been trying to connect to you for ten minutes! _

Wait, I recognize that voice. "Loki?" I question, trying to find him in the room. "Oh for the love of god, please tell me you are here and I just can't see you." It's either that or my madness is taking the form of schizophrenia and my mind is conjuring his voice up. I don't like that thought.

_Not exactly. I am inside your mind._

I deflate. "You poor thing. No one should ever go in there." Humor. Huh, I've still got it.

_Charlie, we do not have a lot of time. This spell does not last for very long. You need to tell me where you are._

I shrug. "I don't know. I'm just in an empty stone room."

_Then give me the dimensions of the room._

"How the hell am I supposed to know that?" The water is to my upper chest now. I keep unconsciously holding my breath and I feel like that is making me more tired. I need to somehow get myself to relax, but I just can't.

I hear a faint sigh. _How big is the room relative to your bedroom? _

Oh. "It's about half the size of my room, but the ceiling is just as high." I glance up at the distant ceiling. The distance is the only reason why I'm not in a full-blown panic yet. "There is one window in here and only one doorway, if that helps any."

_It does. Thank you._ There's a moment of silence. _Do not panic. Thor and I are looking for you. _

I chuckle sadly. "You don't have enough time to thoroughly check every room that is like this one, Loki. Even if you find it, you can't see me. The likelihood of you finding me in time is infinitesimal."

_The royal guards have been looking for you since you went missing. We have been able to eliminate many places._

"That doesn't mean anything!" I shout. "Two guards came in to this room a couple hours ago! They didn't see me!" The water is touching my chin now. Screw it. I peel the chest armor off of me and kick back so my back is floating on the water. I do know how to swim and I know this will use the least amount of energy for me to stay floating above the water. I still don't like it, though. I breathe out and close my eyes, trying to meditate my worries away. I'm glad that the water is at least warm—at least I'm not getting flashbacks.

_ Thor wants me to tell you not to worry. We will find you._

I smile. "Tell him I said thanks." That sounds like Uncle Thor. "I hope you two aren't trying to kill each other."

_We are not at the moment._ I sense mild amusement. It's hard to gauge someone's emotions when they are only a voice in your head. _The spell is about to wear off. _There's silence for a moment and I'm afraid he's gone for good. _Try and stay calm. We are on our way._

I laugh. "Easier said than done." I don't get a response. "Please find me, Loki."

I am met with only silence.

OoO

Floating on your back for the majority of a day with nothing to do but watch the ceiling get slowly closer to you is boring as hell. I'm just left here with my thoughts and that's not fun considering they are all chasing themselves around in my head and not going anywhere. If anything, I keep thinking all of the crap I never got to do, which is _so_ productive. I mean, I'm twenty-four and I'm faced with my sudden death and I can't help but think if my life was even worth anything. I threw myself into my research once I was finally able to get away from the Tower, I had one meaningful relationship, and that's it. And my research has only just started to make some headway. I have literally nothing to show for my life.

God, I hate depressing thoughts.

And what is my family going to think when they find out? They sent me here on the assumption I would be safer than back home. Ha, how wrong they were. Then again, I did land myself in this situation. I should have stayed by Loki's side. I still don't really understand how we got separated, but I'm sure it's my fault. If I had better control over my fire, I wouldn't have captured whats-his-face's attention, I wouldn't have gotten trapped, and I wouldn't be staring at a ceiling that is now only two feet away.

Wait, what?

I stretch my arms out. If I stretch just a little, my fingertips are able to brush the stone. I turn my head to look towards the window. The light is waning now, and fast. Shit, it's almost sundown and I didn't notice. Where the hell is he?

I take a deep breath and dive down. Using the barrier as my anchor, I get my body in a position where I can better see the window. I can't see the sun, but I know that it must almost be sunset considering very little light is shining through it now. The stars are shining very bright in the little slice of sky I can see.

I swim back up to the surface and almost hit my head on the ceiling. Shit, I'm almost out of time. I gasp in a few breaths before diving back down. My panic is officially here and I start banging my hands against the barrier again. I need to get out of here! The light is leaving very quickly. I swim back up. I'm only able to get a few more gasps in before the water fully encases the space. Shit.

I swim back down. I come to a standstill when I see the door actually open. I immediately start pounding on the wall in time with the heartbeat that is pounding in my ears. I need to try and get their attention somehow. My eyes widen when I notice who it is.

Loki. Oh my god, he actually found me.

He walks slowly into the room, his eyes scanning it. He keeps skipping right over me. I bang on the barrier again. It's obvious he can't hear it. He comes to a standstill only a few paces in the room, still looking around. Come on, you idiot, I'm right here! My lungs are burning with the need for air, but I keep pushing it down. I can last a little longer, I know I can. I have to.

My eyes widen in horror as he turns his back on the room and starts heading to the door. No. "Loki!" I shout out, bubbles rising up around my face. Not a smart idea, but he can't just leave me here! I pound my hands against the barrier a few more times. Now I have no air in my lungs and I'm struggling against my body's natural reflex to gasp for breath. I just can't do it. If I do, I die.

I wrap my hands around my neck as my mouth opens. Oh no. Water rushes in and I struggle, choking on it. This can't be happening. I struggle for a few moments before my body finally stops. Darkness is swimming in the edges of my vision and I realize numbly that I am dying. I blink once. Everything is so blurry. I finally allow my eyes to close for the last time.

I could have sworn I saw someone standing in front of the barrier. Oh well, too late now.

OoO

The first thing I realize is that I'm coughing. Well, hacking is probably a more apt description. Water is spewing out of my lips while my body is trying to simultaneously gasp for the air it obviously needs. I struggle between coughing and gasping for air. I'm lying on a stone floor, my body twisted so I face the ground to get the water out of my lungs. I feel hands on my shoulders, keeping me steady while I hack and gasp.

Once I am able to get my breathing and coughing in order, I relax. My body untwists and I fall against someone's shoulder, their arm wrapped around mine. I feel another hand resting against my hip. I open my eyes to see a blurry black and green chest and I grin. I reclose my eyes. I'm so tired.

"What took so long?" I manage to croak out.

"Took a few wrong turns."

My breathing and coughing steadies somewhat and I lean my head further on his shoulder. I feel another hand on my head. Simply from its weight I know it's Uncle Thor's hand. Rather than try and communicate, I decide it's best to just rest. We can talk later.

I feel an arm scoop up my knees and now I am in the air. I drift off to the steady rhythm of Loki carrying me out of that room.


	18. Freak

**A/N: Yay I'm back! I posted to two stories in one day, meaning I am seriously procrastinating on my Shakespeare homework. Hee. Anyway, no action in this, just mental crisis. As always, I hope you all enjoy and let me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer: Loki is still not mine. But I will gladly accept Charlie as mine.**

Freak

I dream that I'm swimming. Odd, considering I haven't gone swimming in almost ten years. I'm in the ocean that my Dad's Malibu home overlooks. It's a beautiful day and I'm just lying back on the water, watching the clouds pass overhead. Something suddenly wraps around my ankle and drags me under the water into the dark abyss. I try to get the tentacle to let go of my ankle, but my hands simply skip over it. I'm struggling for air and fighting to get back to the surface, but the more I struggle, the more it drags me deeper in.

My eyes fly open and all I can see is the golden ceiling of my bedroom. I'm gasping for breath. My chest hurts. It feels as if I hadn't taken a breath in quite a while. I blink a few times up at the ceiling, a hand over my pounding heart, simply breathing to get my body to relax. I cover my face in frustration. Great, I've got a new nightmare to add to my collection. Because that's just what I need.

I suddenly become aware of two weights pressing against my sides and right leg. I uncover my face and look down in curiosity. Modi is pressed against my right side, one leg draped over mine and his head pressed against my stomach. Magni is resting on my left, his head resting on my ribcage just under my chest, his arm wrapped around my stomach. They are, luckily, still out cold even with my rough wakening. I grin down at them. At least they are okay, which means Aunt Jane and Frigga must be okay as well. I rest my hands on top of their heads and pet their hair. It's amazing how a simple action can completely ground me and pull me out of my nightmares.

I rest my head back. The battle and my subsequent capture come back to me in a quick rush. I groan quietly. My first freaking battle and I get myself captured. And just after I tell Loki I won't be a nuisance and keep myself safe. God, I suck at this. My memory skips to the Goblin King. Tnumer was his name, right? Well, that doesn't matter. What matters is what he basically revealed to me. I can't be his daughter. I mean, just because I happen to be able to summon and throw fire around does not mean I am his biological progeny. I can't be. I'm human. I was born and raised on earth. If I was his daughter, then why the hell wouldn't I have been raised on his world?

But I can't ignore one fact: I can summon fire just like the goblins can. I've known that since I was fourteen. I've suppressed it so much that it doesn't become an issue and I've made sure to keep it a secret from everyone I know, including my family. I never knew why or how I was able to do it, only that it wasn't normal. Being a goblin would explain why it is possible for me to do such a thing. But why don't I look like one of them?

Before I can delve too deeply into these thoughts, my door opens. I turn my head and watch as Aunt Jane walks in. She smiles when she sees that I am awake. I grin in return. I would sit up, but I have sleeping twins on me, and just like with a sleeping animal, I don't want to move and wake them up. She climbs into the bed and sits next to me, her back resting against the headboard. "They were very worried about you," she whispers, running her fingers through my hair. "Once Loki brought you back, they immediately climbed into bed, saying it wouldn't be right for you to be alone. Magni seemed particularly worried that you would be scared if you woke up alone."

I chuckle. "They're sweet." I glance up at her. "What happened after I left?"

She sighs. "We made our way through the tunnel into the safe house. The messenger came just before sunrise, letting us know the battle was over. It wasn't until we got back to the palace that we knew you were missing. Thor and Loki had already begun their search. The boys were a wreck." She shakes her head. "I think they believe it is somehow their fault for what happened."

I look back down at the two boys sleeping on me. "Of course it's not their fault. What are they thinking?"

I sense her shrugging. "They won't tell me. But, I believe they think if you had made it into the tunnel first, none of what happened would have."

I shake my head. "That's preposterous. I protect them. They can worry about protecting me when they are taller than I am."

Aunt Jane laughs. "I agree."

Modi and Magni both groan and stir. I wince as Modi tries to bury his face into my stomach. I watch as Magni opens his eyes and blinks blearily up at me. He yawns. I yawn in response. I smile crookedly as I watch the realization dawn in his eyes. "Charlie!" he cries out, wrapping his arms around my neck.

I smile and hug him back. "You okay, brat?"

"We were so afraid you weren't going to wake up!" he cries into my ear. I feel Modi's head pop up from stomach and feel another set of arms wrap around me. I move so one arm is wrapped around a twin. Modi doesn't say anything.

"Now why would you think something like that?" I ask, rubbing Magni's back.

"You've been asleep for two days," Modi whispers.

My eyes widen. Two days? No wonder they seemed so worried. I sigh and squeeze them a little tighter. "Well I'm awake now. No more worrying, okay?"

I feel them both nod and they pull away. I pull myself into a sitting position next to Aunt Jane. "So what is everyone else up to?" I ask, genuinely curious.

"Odin and Thor are with the war council, planning the counter-attack and strategies against the goblins. Their attack was basically a declaration of war on Asgard. Frigga is overseeing the repairs to the palace and helping where she can."

"And Loki?"

She cocks her head to the side. "This is the first that he hasn't been here with you, actually."

"Really?" I question. That seems a little odd. Shouldn't he be with his family trying to fight back and what-not? Why would he be here with me this whole time?

"Uncle Loki seemed pretty worried, Charlie," Modi says, capturing my attention. "Especially when you didn't wake up yesterday. He wouldn't say anything, but I could tell. "

Now that does seem odd. Now all I want to do is see him. I feel like I have to reassure him that I'm okay. That just sounds weird.

I lower my head and start playing with my fingers. "Aunt Jane," I start, hesitating over the question that I have to ask. "Did Uncle Thor tell you anything about… me?" I shake my head. "I mean, about the goblin king and what he told them?"

She starts tracing her hand through my hair again. "You mean besides the threats and his demands for peace?" she asks. I nod. I don't really care about that. She pauses for a moment. "I believe you should have that discussion with Thor. He will be able to explain a few things that I can't."

I nod. I don't like the sound of that. It makes it sound like there's going to be long explanations and revelations and I don't want to do it.

Aunt Jane pulls away and gets up from the bed. "Okay, boys," she starts, placing her hands on her hips. "You've been able to get out of your lessons for two days, but now that Charlie is awake there's no reason for you to miss them anymore. Let's go."

They give a collective groan before starting to get up. Before he can get too far, Magni turns and launches himself at me again. I quickly hug him tight. "I still love you, even if you are a goblin, Charlie," he whispers in my ear.

A surprised laugh leaves me. "Thank you, Magni. I love you too."

He pulls away and runs after his mom and brother, closing the door behind him. I'm left there, thinking about what he said. Oh god, that means he somehow overheard what the adults have been talking about in regards to me. They think I'm a goblin too. I clutch my hair in my hands and pull my knees up to my chest. That means my entire life is a lie. I've lived my whole life believing that I am human, mortal, normal—only to now have that entire belief come shattering down around me. I'm something that I know nothing about. What am I supposed to do now?

I pull my hands out from my hair and stare at them. The palms are starting to glow red in response to my shifting emotions. Ever since I was fourteen, after I got home from the hospital, I knew what I could do. I didn't realize that I was the one that caused the house to burn to the ground until then. I was lying in my bed in the dark, trying to get my mind around everything when my hand started to glow like it is now. I didn't know what it was. I rubbed my hand in an attempt to get the glow to go away, but it all it did was actually release the fire. I panicked. I rushed into my bathroom and doused my hand in water, immediately putting the flames out. I was so freaked out I didn't know what to do. The only thing I knew I couldn't do was tell my parents. They had already been through so much with my kidnapping, I feared them learning I could create fire would push them over the edge. I've held on to this secret for ten years.

I was so scared of it that I pushed it down and fought with myself to keep it away. When my emotions get out of hand, it comes back up to the surface like a waiting monster, reminding me of what I wish I could forget. I always know when it rises up because my core temperature skyrockets and I start to get a red glow, like the one I am staring at now.

And, god, everyone here knows now. I can't shove it aside like a freak accident and hope they forget what they saw. They all know that I am a complete freak.

I think that's what I've always been so afraid of: being labeled as a freak or abnormal. Let's face it, what normal person can do this? And it didn't help that I had no idea where the hell it came from. It was just, one day I couldn't create fire and the next I could. I didn't know how or why and that was what was so scary. I was terrified that my captors had done something to me that I couldn't remember. Shot me with radiation or something to turn me into a weapon. So, I shoved it all down, didn't tell my family, and kept it my little secret.

Only, now, I would take that answer so quickly if it meant I was still human. But, no. I am some type of alien creature that somehow landed on earth and was raised to be a human. Tears are brimming in my eyes, but I refuse to cry. The knowledge that I am something completely different is weighing on my mind so badly. I really am a freak.

The door opens suddenly and I quickly wipe the tears that had fallen off of my face, then bury my hands between my knees. Uncle Thor walks in. He smiles. "Little one, you are finally awake!" He comes over and climbs into my bed before giving me a hug.

I try to swallow the lump in my throat. "Yep!" I finally respond once I feel like I can talk normally. "I heard I was out for two days."

"Yes, we were worried you would not waken. The healers told us you were simply exhausted from the battles and you needed to rest."

I nod. Makes sense.

He rakes his hand through my hair so it is away from my face. "What is on your mind, little one? You appear to be troubled about something."

I sigh. "After I was taken by the king, he said a few things that's been troubling me." I glance up at him and our eyes meet.

"What did he tell you?"

"Well, he didn't so much say it as implied it." I pause. I can't believe what I am about to say. "That he was my… father." No expression crosses my uncle's face. My eyes widen. "Please say it isn't true."

He sighs and looks down at his lap. "Tnumer said a great many things when he came to visit us. Many that we are still trying to verify."

"That didn't answer my question, Uncle Thor."

He grabs my hand and gives it a small squeeze. "All of the evidence appears to be proving his claim."

"Appears to be?" I question. "Uncle, I'm either his daughter or I'm not. Which is it?"

He sighs. "Yes, you are his daughter."

I clench my jaw. That small hope that I had that it wasn't true dies and now I don't know what to do. The tears come rushing back and I try and will them down. I don't want to be weak with this news.

"This does not change anything, little one," he says with conviction.

"Are you kidding? This changes everything!" I respond, trying really hard not to yell. "I've been living a lie and I had no idea that I was living one! I've believed my entire life that I was human, that I was mortal, that I was normal!" I get up and start pacing the room. "Now it comes to light that I'm not and what am I supposed to do? I've known since I was fourteen that I was a freak of nature—"

"You are not a freak of nature," Uncle Thor says, cutting me off mid-rant. He has moved to the edge of the bed and he just looks so concerned for me. Not that I blame him. I feel like I'm becoming unraveled.

"Yes, I am!" I shout. "No normal person can do this!" I hold my hand up and allow the flame to burst out. I watch it burn for a couple minutes, staring at my uncle over the fire. "This is not normal, uncle." The fire finally putters out and I close my eyes in exhaustion. I always forget just how exhausting it is to let it out. My body sways and I put a hand against my head, trying to stave off the pounding headache that has just blossomed there.

Right as my knees collapse, an arm attaches itself around my waist and I'm hoisted back up. I feel his metal chest plate press against my back and I somehow know it's him without opening my eyes. "I leave you for an hour and you are already trying to land yourself in a coma," Loki reprimands into my ear. His other hand is resting against my shoulder and he just stands there, allowing me time to get my feet back under me.

I wonder how long he has been in the room? I finally get my balance back and I manage to open my eyes. I'm still a little dizzy, but it should pass. Uncle Thor is standing in front of me, but his eyes are on Loki behind me. I glance behind me to see Loki is matching his stare. I get the sensation there is some mental communication going on. Uncle Thor breaks eye contact first and takes a step back. Loki looks down at me and smiles condescendingly. "You will not be a nuisance, huh?"

I glare. "Oh shut up." I turn back around and pull his arm off me so I can sit back down on the bed. I place my elbows on my knees and stare at the ground. My thoughts are still swirling around in my head—the loudest one being "Freak"—and I just can't get them into some semblance of order, making my already bad headache worse. I clutch my head and squeeze my eyes shut. I just want it all to stop.

I feel hands wrap around my wrists and I open my eyes to see Loki kneeling in front of me. He gently pulls my hands away from my head. He's giving me a pointed look, but I'm too far gone in my own head and crisis to really try and interpret it. He places his hand on my head. "Charlie, do you remember what you told me the first night you stayed here?"

I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. "N-not really," I stammer out. "Didn't we talk about the twins and pranks?"

He grins. "I meant after that."

I think back to the night that we met. The night of the ceremony. There was the feast, where Loki and I talked. Then I helped Aunt Jane take the twins to bed. That was the same night I first met the Jotun Man. Oh. "What about it?"

"I do believe you told me that it takes more than your parentage to make someone a monster," he replies. My headache is lessening little-by-little and I'm able to pull myself out of my head and pay more attention to what he is saying.

"Yeah, I did."

"I have always thought the word 'freak' is just a synonym for 'monster.'"

My eyes widen at what he is trying to say. He's throwing my own words back at me. He lowers his hand from my head and I realize my headache is gone. He is being unusually kind to me. "I don't understand," I mumble, mainly in regards to his sudden change in demeanor towards me. But, I don't really understand anything that is going on right now, so I think it's just a good declarative phrase.

"You are calling yourself a freak simply because your parentage is coming to light," he continues, being quite patient all things considered. "You are no such thing. And you do not know all of the facts just yet."

"What facts?"

He stands up and sits next to me on the bed. I realize with a jolt that Uncle Thor is gone. When did he leave? "I asked my brother to let me explain, considering he was doing a horrible job at it."

"Oh," I mumble. "Explain what?"

He turns his body so he is facing me and I do the same. "In order for you to understand, I need to explain the Goblin King and his past." I nod, asking him to continue. "King Tnumer and my father were once close allies. We had amicable relations with his world and trade was frequent. However, about twenty-five years ago, things changed. Tnumer met a woman when he was visiting Earth. He fell in love, they got engaged, all seemed to be going well. Then came the news that she was pregnant. Well, unfortunately, this did not go over well with his people."

"Why not?" I ask.

"They did not believe it was fit for their king to marry and reproduce with a mortal—it would dilute the royal bloodline. As you know, only high class goblins can produce fire. They are the higher class for a reason. When their world was still young, goblins with this ability were placed within offices of power and it came to be that the ability only lived on through these bloodlines. Nobody knew what would happen to that ability if a child was half-mortal."

I nod. It's the same concept of a prince wanting to marry a commoner. I've heard that tale a million times. "So what happened?"

Loki sighs. "He left his betrothed to deal with his restless people. While he was gone, her pregnancy progressed like normal. He returned the day she gave birth, named the child Sigyn, then left once again after promising to return."

"I get the feeling that he didn't return to a welcoming fiancé."

Loki grins at me. "No, he returned to a dead one."

"What?" I whisper, stunned at the unexpected turn.

"When Tnumer returned to Earth to collect his betrothed and baby six months later, he found his love dead in her apartment and his daughter missing. He believed his daughter to be dead as well." He shakes his head. "He never found out what happened to either one of them. He returned to his world, grief-stricken. Relations with him fell apart after that. But we heard that he fell into a paranoid madness, believing one of his subjects orchestrated their deaths so that a half-breed would not become heir to the throne."

"Oh my god," I whisper in stunned disbelief. I always wondered what happened to my biological parents. I always wondered if they were still alive and living another life, one without me. To be told that they weren't, I can't help but feel heart broken. "And I'm that child?"

"Yes."

I bury my face into my hands again. This is all so much to take in. "I never knew what happened to my mom," I start, trying to verbalize my thoughts. "All I knew was that she left me at the hospital because I was sick. She left a note saying that my name was Charlotte and that I was sick. That she couldn't take care of me anymore. It never once entered my mind that she might be dead." I laugh suddenly. "And my father is an alien. Awesome. I really am a freak."

"Do not say such things," Loki commands, immediately recapturing my attention.

"But you said it yourself, Loki: no one knew what would happen if a goblin child was half mortal. That means it's never happened before. I'm different."

"Different does not mean you are a freak, Charlie. It just means you are new."

I sigh and stare at my lap. "Well, at least we know that the fire didn't die away."

He chuckles. "Yes, it appears it is stronger and hotter than ever, even if your body is unable to handle it."

There's that stab of condescension. I was wondering where that was.

He stands up and stares down at me, giving me a critical eye. "Your fire is very strong. Stronger, I think, than your father's. However, it is a wild and untrained. You said you could produce it when you were fourteen?"

I nod. "It was what got me out of where I was being held."

He cocks his head to the side in confusion. "Why haven't you been training with it?"

"I was scared," I whisper. "Being able to produce fire isn't normal, Loki. When I found out I could, I was terrified. I still am."

His eyes soften and he nods. I glance away and around my room. Everything is still in place and it doesn't even look like a battle took place. Or that the very foundation of my life was uprooted. I still feel like I need to cry. I just don't want to do it in front of Loki. Pride and all that. I think I'll allow my mental breakdown later tonight, when I know I'll be alone.

"Well, there is only one solution," he says, holding out his hand. I take it and he pulls me into a standing position. I quirk my eyebrow at him. He smirks. "You'll have to be trained on how to use it."

"Someone can train me?"

"Of course," he says, rolling his eyes. "It is not that different from Asgardian magic. It's a form of goblin magic inherent in their blood that takes the form of fire. You just need to learn to manipulate it."

"Of course," I say, deadpan. "And who do you suggest is supposed to teach me that?"

He smirks. "Me, of course."

"Of course," I repeat.

His smirk grows into a genuine smile. "You should join the twins with their lessons when they are with me or my mother. She will be able to help you as well."

I nod and sigh. I'm still afraid to try. Fire is so volatile. What if I accidentally hurt someone? What if I hurt the twins? I'll never be able to forgive myself. I mean, look at what I did to those goblins who got a hold of me during the battle. And my kidnappers. They are all dead now. Will I really be able to control it?

"Charlie," Loki calls, grabbing my attention once again. God, I cannot focus very well right now. "All you need is practice. And you will not harm anyone, not with my mother or myself there. Be calm."

I nod. Before I can say anything, my stomach growls very loudly. I look down at it. I glance up at Loki and see an amused half-smile on his face. "We will discuss everything else later. I think we need to find you food first."

I smile, the first genuine smile of the day. I can agree with that plan: food first, then the world of problems inside my head.

**A/N: I like talkative Loki! *hugz Loki* He needs to always be this way.**


	19. Arrangements

**A/N: So, according to my plan, I should be on Chapter 15... I've added some material and I can't figure out what it is. Also, I'm not even halfway done with this story yet. The first arc isn't even complete! (There are two, btw.) And this is at 75,000 words now. I thought about splitting it up into two stories, but I don't want to. I know I said you guys better be ready for the long haul, but damn. I didn't know it was going to be this long! lol **

**This is exciting! **

**Anyway, as always, enjoy and let me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I only own Charlie and the plot. **

Arrangements

Walking to the dining hall is a lot harder than I expected.

Not because I can't walk or anything like that. I am unusually well-balanced, all things considered. It's the stares. And the whispers. I feel like I'm back in high school when the student body found out whose daughter I was. Only ten times worse. Back then, I was prepared for it, able to hold my head high and give people the 'yeah, I'm Tony Stark _and_ Captain Steve Roger's daughter. What of it?' look and move on with my day. This is not the same. I was not expecting the looks or the mumbled words as we passed. It's bad enough I have to try and settle with the fact of what I am now—but now I have to deal with everyone else knowing too.

I can't hear what they are saying, but I'm sure it's nothing good. I'm the first known goblin-human mix. I'm literally a mutt, now that I think about it. No matter what my uncle or Loki says I really am a freak of nature. And I get the distinct sense that the rest of the Asgardian populace feels the same way. After stepping out of my room, I keep my head low so I don't meet anyone's stare. I hate feeling so vulnerable. It's just so hard to try and digest life-shattering news and keep up the façade that everything is okay. In fact, it's nigh impossible.

And now I'm nauseous.

Loki's hand wraps around my wrist a few paces outside of my room. I shoot my head up to stare at the side of his head. He's staring at me out of the corner of his eye. He simply lifts his head slightly, telling me to keep my head up. I blink and nod. Allowing myself a stabilizing breath, I lift my head back up and feel my neutral mask slam over my face. I can do this. Somehow.

Why is this walk taking forever?

I glance around the halls while we walk. I may have been out for two days, but there is still a lot of damage to be seen. All of the fallen pillars appear to have been replaced, but the scorch marks where the guns fired still remain, marring the perfect golden walls. Dust and debris still litter the floors in many places. All things considered, it could have been a lot worse. I would love to see what the throne room looks like. This is just the personal wing—the majority of the action happened on the other side of the palace, so I can only imagine how bad it is over there. As it stands, I'm surprised there is as much damage here as there is. Servants are all over the place trying to clean up and get the palace into some semblance of order. I'm sure Lady Frigga is around ordering the clean-up somewhere.

Guards are rushing around in different directions, trying to secure the palace, handing down orders. There are definitely way more guards here than there ever have been since I've been staying here. The fact that the goblins went straight for the royal family had to have shaken Odin and Uncle Thor. I know that Lady Frigga can take care of herself, but Aunt Jane and the boys can't. So, there's no such thing as too much security in my opinion.

Especially considering they got their hands on me.

Loki and I walk through the dining hall doors and I stop in astonishment. The room looks like a raging bull ran through it. I blink a few times, trying to process it. The immaculate table is lying on its side, pushed against the far wall. The chair at the head of the table is practically on top of the table, two of its legs having broken off. The other chairs are strewn haphazardly through the room, in various states of damage. Plates, goblets, and remains of food litter the floor. "The hell happened in here?" I whisper out, disconnecting from Loki and walking around.

Lady Frigga, who was standing on the other end of the room shaking her head at the damage, turns and grins at me. "This was where Tnumer and my husband discussed your whereabouts." Our eyes meet and she pointedly looks at Loki. "This is also where he issued his challenge to my sons." I turn my head and look at him as well. He just shrugs.

"He angered me," he says simply.

Looking back around the room, I say drily, "Remind me not to piss you off."

Frigga chuckles. "Seeing as you helped cause this damage, dear, care to help me set it right?"

Loki nods and joins his mother in the center of the room. Back-to-back, their hands start glowing green and they motion to various sections of the room. Right before my eyes, chairs spring back together before settling down against the wall. The large table is lifted back up and the throne-like chair is repaired. The plates, silverware, and cups all glide back on top of the table, stacked neatly, while the spoiled food vanishes. I turn slowly in my spot, not wanting to miss a single thing. When it's all said and done, the room is back in order, with only the food and silverware out of place. "I will never get tired of this," I say, a smile tugging on my face.

Frigga walks over to me and pulls me in for a hug. "With enough training, you may be able to do this yourself." Pulling away, she winks.

"Really?"

"We'll discuss it later, dear. For now, let's get you fed. My husband wishes to have a few words with us all before the day is over."

I nod. She walks out the door and I'm left with Loki. We both take a seat and a comfortable silence envelopes the room. I think about what Frigga just mentioned. Sif once told me that magic was in the blood of all Asgardians. And the ability to wield fire is in the blood of the high-class goblins. Is the fire just a manifestation of magic? Now that I think about it, Tnumer was able to use magic just like Frigga and Loki. That barrier was a spell, as was the water, and his duplicate. I've only ever seen Loki create a duplicate. So, that means that magic is within my blood too.

Holy crap.

"Hey, Loki?" I question. Thinking about the barrier reminded me of something. He glances over at me and I take that as my cue to continue. "How did you end up finding me? I mean, I saw you enter the room, but you couldn't see me. I blacked out right after you left."

He sighs. "I felt you scream."

"Felt me scream?"

He nods. "There's no real way of describing it. When I turned to leave the room, I felt something—a vibration maybe. I turned and explored the room some more. I ran into the barrier and knew." He shakes his head. "Once I felt the barrier, I was able to see everything. You in the water." He finally meets my eyes. "You were already passed out."

I shudder, remembering the feeling of the water rushing in. "How did you get me out?"

"Mjolnir."

"Right," I mumble. That should have been obvious. I glance around the room again, mainly just because I didn't want to talk about it anymore. I almost died. Now that I know how they got me out, I really don't want to think about it anymore.

"When we pulled you out, you were not breathing," he continues, voice more subdued. I lower my head and stare at my lap. I can't help but feel like everything that happened was my fault. I need to start throwing myself into my training a little bit more so something like this doesn't happen again.

"I'm sorry," I whisper. "I didn't mean to make you all worry."

I hear him huff out a breath of air. I glance back up and see he is looking away from me. "Thor was the worried one. He became very concerned when we could not get you breathing again."

My eyebrows come together in confusion. "How long did it take before I was breathing again?"

"A few minutes." He turns to look at me, a disgruntled look on his face. "Try not to do that again. Keeping you alive was particularly uncomfortable on my part."

I continue to stare at him in confusion before it dawns on me. My eyes widen and a blush tears its way across my face before I can stop it. Apparently he got the desired response because he immediately smirks and looks away. I snap my head away too. Oh my god, he didn't. Oh but I know he did. He would have to. If I wasn't breathing… _that_ would be the only way to get me breathing again. I mentally groan. I wish I could freak out in a more adequate and verbal way, but I don't want to let him know just how uncomfortable that new information makes me.

Funny, I'm uncomfortable, but not disgusted by it. Nope, not going to contemplate that either.

While we sit in (an uncomfortable on my part) silence, servants start coming in carrying various plates of food and drink. My mouth starts watering when I smell the meat. I really need to eat. I'm able to sit relatively still while the table is set and the servants file out of the room again. I quickly snag an apple and start munching on it. I see Loki raise an eyebrow out of the corner of my eye, but I am ignoring him for the time being. Focus on one emergency at a time. I get the feeling that is going to be my motto for today.

Odin, Frigga, and Uncle Thor come into the room right when I was finishing my apple. They all take a seat and we dig in. Everyone eats with as much fervor as I am. I get the feeling since the attack, none of them have really been eating either. Odin was kind enough to inquire about how I was doing once we all settled down. I have to admit, I was vaguely surprised at his kindness. I figured he would have too much on his mind to worry about me.

We all ate quickly. Before long, we were all sitting around an empty table. Everyone was looking to Odin, waiting for him to start the conversation. He was looking down at his empty plate, hands clasped in front of him, deep in contemplation. I can only imagine what must go through his mind on a daily basis.

"Charlie," he finally starts, his lone eye glancing up to stare at me. "You must have questions. Now would be the time to ask."

I nod. "Loki has already confirmed what King Tnumer has already implied to me: that I am his biological daughter." Odin nods, asking me to continue. "What's going to happen to me now?"

"Whatever do you mean, dear?" Frigga asks, capturing my attention.

I sigh and lower my head. "I am half-human and half-goblin. I would completely understand if you did not want me to remain in your home. Some will probably think I am a spy or something for the army that has invaded Asgard." I shake my head. I don't really know why I am worrying so much about this. I know that Uncle Thor and Frigga would have a fit if I was suddenly sent off world because of this revelation, but it doesn't mean I can't be worried about it. After all, people have been killed for less. Or maybe I'm just thinking about my own world too much? I don't know. All I know is, I'm allowing what other people think to invade my thoughts and cause myself to worry about things I normally wouldn't worry about. This whole vulnerability thing sucks.

"Charlie, nobody is sending you off," Odin says in his deep rumble. I finally glance over and see that he is leaning towards me, hands braced against his chair. "You are just as much a victim in this attack as we are. And if any one of my subjects wishes to dispute your loyalty can take it to me personally." He leans back. "Besides, you are in just as much danger on your home world as you are here. You might as well stay, where I know my forces will keep you safe."

My shoulders relax and I breathe out a sigh. "Thank you, sir." I glance over at Frigga who is shaking her head. She's probably going to come talk to me about that later.

"King Tnumer is a dangerous enemy," Odin continues. "He was once a strong ally and friend to me. However, since he lost his mortal love and daughter, he went mad in his grief. We have lost contact since those years. When he found you during the battle, a part of him was revitalized, ecstatic. What father would not be happy upon finding their lost child? However, when my forces and my sons tried to get to you, he took you away. For that, I apologize."

I shake my head. "There's no need to apologize, sir. It was technically my fault." I glance at Loki out of the corner of my eye. "I was told by my guard to stay by his side, and I failed to do that. If I had followed that one command, I wouldn't have been taken."

Odin nods. "Battle is a time of chaos. It is difficult when one is in the midst of destruction and madness to follow a set plan, even one as simple as remaining by someone's side." He sighs. "Be that as it may, your biological father still found a way to get to you and take you. He also tried to kill you when you would not be given over to his custody nor when you refused him. As it stands, we do not know if he knows you are alive."

"Meaning, he could come after you again," Frigga continues. "Now that he is in possession of an infinity stone, his power is quite unlimited."

"Infinity stone?" I question.

"Like the tesseract," Uncle Thor interjects, taking over the narrative. "There are six infinity stones total. The tesseract is one of them. It is locked within our vaults. However, the other five are out there, and now we know the goblins have one."

"Meaning, the goblin king can come for you at any time, if he desires," Frigga continues.

"If he knows I'm alive."

"Exactly."

I shift in discomfort. Great. Just another thing to pile onto the things I want to deal with.

"What does he want?" I finally question. "I mean, I understand why he wants me. I'm his long-lost daughter and what-not. But why attack Asgard?"

"In his madness, the king has become weary of Asgard's role in the universe," Odin speaks, leaning back in his chair. "He wishes for Asgard to dismantle its role as protectors and have that duty be moved onto a new race."

"The goblins."

"So it would seem."

I shake my head. "Okay, that explains why he wanted the bifrost and the royal family dead. But why does he want to be the universe's protector?"

Odin shrugs. "I do not know. I can only assume it is a dream brought on by his madness."

"So, what do we do now?"

"We fight." Big surprise. "My war council is currently deciding the best course of action to take. As it stands, I refuse for another battle to be waged on Asgardian soil, and within my home, no less. But with so little information, it is difficult to decide the best strategy to be used."

I look over to Uncle Thor, suddenly getting an idea. "Uncle Thor, you should go to my parents. My dad may have some tech that could help. Some spyware or something. Or at the very least some new weapons that will help."

"Good idea, little one," he says, smiling. "I will depart in the morning and seek their advice."

"For now," Odin continues, "I wish for you to remain in the palace and train your new abilities with either Frigga or Loki. I wish to know if you also contain the magical prowess of your father."

I nod. I'm not going to argue that. I really want to know if I can use magic too. As it stands, just training on how to use my fire is going to be terrifying and exhausting. I wonder, if I can use magic, will it be just as exhausting on me as my fire is? Is my body going to be able to handle using the fire and magic? Really, I just don't want to hurt anyone. Maybe it will be better if I train only with Loki? At least with him he has his ice which will help protect him from my fire. Well, at least I think it will. Frigga can teach me the regular magic stuff.

"Loki," Odin says, capturing my attention again. "What do you suggest should be done to ensure Charlie's safety from her father?"

I turn my head to look at Loki. He seems surprised slightly at the sudden attention. He does have an uncanny ability to blend into the wall when these types of discussions occur. He glances at the plate in front of him and gives it some thought. I really hope he doesn't suggest another bodyguard. I think one is enough for me. But, I can't see what other option there would be. The only time I am ever alone is when I am in my room. Otherwise, I am always with either him, Frigga or Uncle Thor. I really can't get much safer.

"The only time Charlotte is ever alone is when she is in her room," Loki starts. My lips quirk. If I didn't know any better, I'd think he was in my mind. "Otherwise, she is always with me. That would be her one place she is most vulnerable if someone wished to take her."

Odin nods. See? I'm as safe as I can get.

Odin sits in quiet contemplation for a few moments before sitting up straight. It looks like he came to some sort of decision. "Loki, as the one in charge of Charlotte's protection and safety, I am going to be changing the arrangements slightly." Loki and I both glance at each other in confusion. What arrangements? "Effective tomorrow, Loki, you shall be with Charlotte at all times."

"Can you define that, please?" I ask. I think I have an idea, I just want to make extra sure.

Odin meets my gaze. "Loki shall now be sharing your room. You can no longer spend time alone for fear that you may be taken." His eyes go over my head to look at Loki. "I trust you will take this matter very seriously."

I sit back in my chair. Loki and I glance at each other. Huh.

"Are you sure about this, father?" Uncle Thor asks, glancing at us with a dubious look. Odin simply nods his head.

After a moment of silence, I nod. "I don't see an issue with these plans." I look at Loki. "As long as I get some privacy when I use the bathroom, I don't see any problems." I give a cheeky smile. "Do you, Loki?"

He rolls his eyes. "I will, somehow, make it work."

Looks like I have a new roommate. Weird how I'm not freaking out about this. A month ago I would have been seriously ticked off about this blatant lack of personal space and privacy, but now I'm shrugging it off. Have I really gotten that comfortable around Loki that I don't care if we are around each other _all the time_? From his lack of response, I get the feeling he doesn't mind either.

Hm, maybe I'm growing up?

I glance back over to Odin and he nods, giving his order finality. "I must get back to the war council," he announces, standing up. After saying a quick farewell, he leaves the room. Uncle Thor gets up only a moment later, saying he wished to see Aunt Jane and the boys. Frigga is giving both me and her son an amused look.

"Yes, mother?" Loki questions, a tone of annoyance permeating his voice.

"Nothing, just proud of you both."

"Why?" I ask.

"If my husband were to suggest that a month ago, you two would have been at each other's throats. Now, you are taking it quite in stride. Forgive me if I find some mild amusement in that."

I grin. "I find arguing with a direct command really doesn't get me anywhere here. If it did," I point my thumb at Loki, "he would definitely not be my bodyguard now." I see him roll his eyes out of the corner of mine. "What?" I question him. "You know it's true."

"If I had my way, you would not even be in this realm."

I place my hand over my heart in mock hurt. "Loki! You wound me! Don't you love me anymore?" I laugh at his affronted look. It's still fun to tease him. "Besides, you get to train me in magic now. That should be entertaining for you, at least."

"Yes, it will be entertaining watching you hurt yourself relentlessly." He gives me a particularly creepy smile and I roll my eyes in response. It's weird, that smile doesn't even put me off anymore.

Frigga shakes her head at the both of us before standing. We rise with her. "I have placed enchantments on your room so that Loki will be notified if anyone enters your room that is not a member of my family. They will hold for tonight only." She walks around the table and gives me another hug. "Make sure to get some rest. Tomorrow will be tiring." After giving her son a hug as well, she leaves.

"Have I ever mentioned how much I love your mom?" I ask, not really expecting an answer. We both head out the door and towards our rooms.

I see him grin. He doesn't respond, but I think that little smile was the only answer I needed.

We walk in silence and my mind goes back to our conversation from earlier. I really almost died. While I'm embarrassed by it, the only reason I am alive is because Loki made sure to keep me that way. I can't help but feel somewhat surprised. "Loki? Earlier, when you mentioned that Tnumer had angered you, and you destroyed the dining hall—"

"My brother helped with that," he adds petulantly.

I smile. "What angered you?"

We turn down our hallway. "Tnumer issued me a challenge: find my charge with no way of seeing her or hearing her. He said I would be the only one who would be able to find her. And if I could not complete this task by sundown, she would die." He glances down at me. "Would you not be angry as well?"

Well, when you put it like that…

I open the door to my room and turn to watch him walk to his room. "Loki?" He stops and turns. Before I allow myself to think about it, I run across the space between us and hug him. My arms wrap fully around him and my head comes to rest just below his shoulder. I squeeze my eyes shut. "Thank you," I whisper.

After a moment, his arms come around me. "You are welcome," he mumbles. I smile. Finally got him to hug me back. I give a small squeeze and let go. I turn around and walk back through my door. I sigh as I look around my room. Where the hell is he going to sleep?


	20. Lesson Number One

**A/N: I just want to take a moment and thank you all for your love and support! I really do appreciate it! I wish I could come through this page and give you all a hug! It's because of you all that I keep writing.**

**Anyway, on with the real reason for why you are all here! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I only own Charlie and the plot**

Lesson Number One

I'm sitting on the roof of the Tower, looking out over the lights of the city. Manhattan is beautiful at night. I used to come up here all the time to think, clear my head a little. On particularly clear nights I can see a few stars. That's one of the things that I love about Norway: no matter where I was—my dig sites were often outside of the cities—I could see the night sky in its entirety. It's the only thing I miss when I'm home. Otherwise, I like having my own floor with computer-controlled everything. It's nice having my family close by too.

I look over to my right and see Peter is swinging up to the Tower. I smile and stand up, heading over to where he lands. "Hey, Peter! How's the city doing?"

Peter takes his Spider-Man mask off and runs a hand through his brown hair. He looks a little tired, but at least he's not bloody and bruised. I've seen him come back looking like that more times than I care to count. He starts walking towards me, keeping his eyes on the ground while he rubs the back of his neck. "Peter?" I question, concern starting to rise up. I haven't seen him looking so tired in a very long time.

He continues walking straight forward, completely ignoring me. Before I can move, he walks straight through me, as if I am some type of ghost. I stumble back in surprise. I look at my body, feeling around my torso. It feels solid to me. So what the hell is going on? I spin around and watch Peter walk into the Tower. I chase after him, following him into the elevator that leads down to the main level, trying to get his attention the entire ride down. He ignores all of my hand waving and yelling, and anytime I tried poking him, my hand would pass straight through.

I'm starting to get freaked out.

The elevator dings open and we both walk out. The main level is shrouded in darkness, except for the light in the movie room. What is going on? Peter heads straight in. When I follow, everyone is there. The TV is on the news, but on a low level. Everyone is watching it with apt attention. "Dad, Pops, what's going on?" I ask, walking over to the two of them on the couch.

They ignore me too. I finally glance up at the TV to see my own face staring out of it. What the hell? "… the adopted daughter of the billionaire Tony Stark and Captain Steve Rogers, body has been found. The daughter of Captain America and Iron Man was found early this morning. The cause of her death is currently unknown, but she appeared to be in perfect health…"

I tune out the rest of the broadcast and quickly glance around the room in alarm. But I'm right here. I'm not dead! I walk in front of the TV. "Why are you all watching this crap?" They all continue staring right at me, but not seeing me. "JARVIS?" I question. "Can you hear me?"

Silence. They are all sitting around in various states of stunned silence. Uncle Clint and Aunt 'Tasha are the most stone-faced, neutral, meaning they are not okay at all. Dad isn't watching the TV anymore, just staring in its general direction while he's lost in his own little world. The light from his arc reactor is out. Pops is sitting next to him, his elbows propped on his knees. He looks angry. Uncle Bruce is standing behind them both, clenching onto his glasses hard. As I watch, the lens breaks. Peter is still standing by the doorway. He looks so lost.

"Guys, why can't you see me? I'm right here!" I finally shout. I turn and punch at the TV that is still going on about my death. The glass breaks.

My eyes fly open and I sit up in bed in a mild panic. I pat against my torso, making sure I am fully solid. I look around the room, trying to get myself back to reality. What the hell was that? I swallow thickly and try to calm my breathing. My mind is starting to get really creative with how it wants to torture me. I cover my face and let out a strangled scream. This is getting seriously ridiculous. Why would I dream about my own death? Okay, it's not that surprising considering what I just went through. But I would figure I would just relive the drowning, not have my mind conjure up how my family would react. Maybe it's showcasing a guilty conscious?

I lower my hands and flop back down onto the bed, sideways. I sigh. Damn my mind to hell. I reopen my eyes and stare out into my room. I sit back up after a moment, just as fast as the first time. Shit, Loki's moving in today. I'm kind of a neat freak, so my room is perfectly clean. But, really, where is he supposed to sleep?

I notice something different. On the other side of the room, against my bookshelf, there's another door. I cock my head to the side in confusion. Where the hell did that door come from? I get up and walk over to the new door cautiously. I wouldn't put it past Loki to put it there just to try and pop out and scare me. I slightly nudge it open, making sure to stay to one side of the door. Peeking through the crack, all I see is shining marble. I open the door the rest of the way and take a step into the new bathroom attached to my room. It looks almost identical to mine, only with less towels and products.

Having an extra bathroom is probably a good thing. At least we won't be fighting over it. I walk back out, closing the door behind me. I take another cursory glance around the room and see another door on the other side of my bed, opposite my closet. Let me guess what that is. I walk to it and walk right inside. Surprise, it's another closet. "Huh, he actually has other clothes," I mumble to myself, getting a good look around. Most of it is black and green (again, massive surprise there), but I see a few other colors poking out. I shake my head in mild disbelief and reenter my room. I flop back down on my bed. Those little additions must have been added on sometime when I was asleep. I'm not even going to bother asking how. And I already know the why. Might as well just lie here until he shows up.

My mind goes back to my odd dream. I've never really thought about my death before. Well, besides begging for it, but that's beside the point. I've never contemplated how my potential death would make my family react. I guess I've always just assumed that I would die sometime after my parents, as most kids do. But there is a very real chance that I could die before them simply because of who I am and what I can do. People have tried to get to me because of my parents and the people I am connected to, not because of me directly. This is the first time in my entire life that someone legitimately tried to kill me and kill me because of me. And I really could have died if Loki hadn't of kept me alive.

I really didn't want to face a mortality crisis until I was much older. But, to be perfectly honest, I'm surprised I haven't had to deal with one already. The two times I was kidnapped, my life was never really threatened. Well, it was to my parents. They had to make it seem like my life was threatened in order for my family to cooperate. The first time, my kidnappers didn't even lay a finger on me. The second time, they made sure I stayed alive. Even if it was barely.

This King Tnumer, my father, he could really come after me and kill me. And the only thing standing in his way is my fighting ability, Loki, and the rest of the royal family. I'm at a severe disadvantage because I can't use my fire or (potentially) my magic. Until I am able to get a grasp on that, I have to rely on Loki. How long is it going to take for me to be able to learn what I need to know? If it takes a long time, then I am going to be no match for the next attack or battle or whatever. There is a real chance he could get to me and kill me.

But why does he want to kill me? I don't understand that at all. It couldn't have been because I wouldn't go with him. Unless it really is just that simple. Everyone keeps saying he's mad, so that really could be it. I just don't know. Unless I somehow find a way to talk to him about it, I will never know.

Yeah, like that's going to happen.

My door creaks open and I quickly sit up and throw a blanket over my shoulders to hide my back. Honestly, doesn't anyone knock? I give my intruder a deadpan glare before flopping back on my side. He just raises an eyebrow at me. "It's about time you showed up," I mumble somewhat into the blanket pressed against the side of my face.

Loki raises an eyebrow at me. "Terribly sorry to keep you waiting," he replies, giving me a mocking bow.

I roll my eyes. Honestly. How old are we? I yawn before sitting up again, pushing all of my previous ponderings to the back of my mind. "So, I've already seen the new additions," I start, glancing at the two new doors in the room. "But, where exactly are you going to be sleeping? There's no new bed."

The corner of his mouth twitches. Uh-oh. He flicks his green glowing hand and suddenly I'm falling. I land with a loud "oof!" onto my back. My previously huge bed is now two still relatively large beds. I glance from one to the other on either side of me. I finally sit up. I can't see him over the bed, but I can imagine him smirking or something. "Was that really necessary?"

"Oh, yes," he chuckles.

Before I am able to pull myself up, the bed on the right lifts slightly from the ground and starts floating toward the center of the room. My eyes follow its progress as it settles down beside the desk against the wall adjacent to the door. I finally pull myself into a standing position, clutching the blanket to my chest. "Well, that settles that. Anything else you need?"

"Nothing I cannot procure later if I require it."

"Right," I mumble. Okay, I'm starting to feel a little awkward. I've never lived with another person like this before, let alone a guy. Now what do we do?

I sigh and drop the blanket onto the bed. Might as well get around for the day. "So, when does the training start?" I ask, heading towards my closet so I can grab some clothes.

"Whenever you finish getting around." I hear his boots move across the room. It sounds as if he is heading towards the bookshelf. I grab the first items I see and head across the expansive space to my bathroom. He is pulling out a book, checking over its contents. I wonder, does he do anything other than read? He turns his head as I walk past to look at me. "Try not to take too long. As I understand, most Midgardian women have a tendency to waste unnecessary time on their appearance. I would prefer not to keep my mother waiting."

I roll my eyes and open the door to my bathroom. "I am not most Midgardian women, Loki dear," I respond, giving him a sarcastic smile. "I do intend on taking a bath, so you can just sit and wait."

He gives me a smirk. "Try not to drown this time."

I glare. "I _will_ kick you."

He opens his arms in a 'Come at me, Bro' type gesture, smiling the entire time. Should I really try to kick him? No, too much effort. I do, however, pick up a random book that is by me and chuck it at him. He catches it with little effort. I shake my head as I walk into my bathroom, his laughter following me. Well, at least I'm entertaining.

Stripping down, I take visual stock of my body. I really don't have too many bruises, thank god. I am a little stiff, but that's to be expected. I turn on my speaker, allowing my music to fill the small room. Maybe I should listen to my most obnoxious music just to annoy Loki? A wicked smile comes across my face. Lady Gaga it is. I turn my Starkpod onto "Artpop" and let the electronica type music assault my ears. It's not my favorite album of hers, but it will do. I just want to listen to something that will distract me for a while. And it is very distracting. If it ends up annoying him, it's only an added bonus.

I love hot baths. Before long, I am squeaky clean and I feel much more relaxed and loose. I climb out, dry off, and attempt to get my curls into some form of order. As usual, it doesn't work well. Finally giving up, I pull it all into a tight braid and let it rest against my back. I start pulling on my clothes. Black leggings and boots on, I reach over and pull on my bra. It's only now that I realize one small problem. "Fuck," I whisper out, hitting the side of my head with an open palm.

I forgot to grab a shirt. What the hell was I thinking? And I thought I grabbed the lavender one. Well, now what? I already threw my pajamas into the laundry chute, which makes them disappear to parts unknown. And I am _not_ about to walk out there with Loki right freaking there. I cross my arms across my chest and stare at my reflection. Well, there's only one thing I can do.

I walk over to my door and crack it open. "Loki?" I call.

"What is it?" I hear his exasperated voice say. He sounds really annoyed. Heh, my music worked.

My exuberance is short lived. "I forgot a shirt."

"How is that _my_ problem?"

I roll my eyes. "Can you grab one for me?"

"Why should I do that?"

I bang my head against the door. Figures. He can help me through a mental breakdown and an existential crisis, but ask him to help save my dignity? Nope.

"It is not as if you have anything I care to see," he continues.

I narrow my eyes at the door. "Oh, well if that's how you feel about it," I murmur. A surge of irrational anger-filled confidence fills me and I fling the door open. The rest of the steam rolls out of the room and I march across the room. Nope, I'm not focused on the fact that almost everything is on display, not at all. It really doesn't help that "Do What You Want" is playing in the background, but oh well. I simply march across the room to the beat of the song, my eyes strongly focused on the closet door. I walk through and pick up the shirt from the floor. It must have fallen out of my grasp when I was grabbing things. Pulling it on over my head, I shake my head at the door. Too bad he can't see it.

I decide against pulling on any armor today. I doubt I'll be working on my physical training. I strap some knives on me anyway. There's no such thing as too careful, especially with a threat over my head. I clasp the sun necklace around my neck and I am ready to go.

After huffing out an annoyed breath, I walk back out, fully expecting to find a smirking bodyguard. That's not exactly what I find. The album must have finally finished because the music is shut off. Loki is standing, but with his back facing me. After observing him stand there completely still for a moment, I pipe up. "Ready to leave whenever you are."

He turns and faces me. His has an expression of confusion. I quirk an eyebrow at him. That is not the expression a man should have on his face when a practically half-naked woman just crossed his path. "I…" he trails off, seeming to try and find the right words. "I did not realize your scars were so extensive."

My eyes widen. Oh. Holy crap. I forgot about my scars. Since when do I forget about those? I'm always so damn self-conscious about them. And yet, I just traipsed through here with everything on display and didn't even think twice about doing that. I don't even do that around the Tower anymore. I lower my head and sigh. I don't blame him for being thrown off. He has seen some of them, but not all. The scars start just below my neck and go all the way down, stopping to just above my butt. The middle and small of my back have scars on top of scars, where most of the damage was laid. "Yeah, they're pretty bad. Sorry you had to see that."

I glance up when I hear him start moving towards me. "How bad were your injuries?"

I shrug. "The doctor told me that you could see my spine in a few places, so pretty bad."

"And you survived."

I smile slightly. "Just barely."

He nods. I don't really know what's going through his head. I'm sure he wants to know the full story—most people do. Maybe another time. I don't really want to delve too deeply into it, especially considering my nightmares have kicked into high gear lately. I don't want to bring that back to the surface. "Shall we go?" I ask, nodding towards the door.

He nods and heads toward the door. I follow, contemplating his odd reaction.

OoO

"Good morning, Charlie," Frigga says when we enter the twins' room. She motions for me to take a seat on the couch next to her. The boys are with Loki on the other side of the room. I hear more giggling than actual strict lesson, but with those three tricksters, what did I expect? "We are not going to do much other than talk today and see if you can bring forth your magic. We will start off slow rather than throw you into it all at once."

I smile gratefully. I'm nervous and I shouldn't be. It's just, I'm taking lessons in something I have never thought I would ever be able to do. I would rather train with Loki on my fighting abilities any day than sit here and try and manipulate a substance I can't see. Magic makes me nervous. Initially it was because I can't fight back. Now I'm afraid I will hurt someone else. And I don't even know if I can use magic yet. Oiy.

"How much do you know, Charlie?"

I shake my head. "Not much. Sif explained a few basics to me when I asked. She told me that magic was inherent in all Asgardians. It was something that was in your blood. It's just hard to bring it out, that's why not many Asgardians use it."

She nods. "Sif is correct. What she did not mention is that magic lies within every creature, including humans."

"Really?"

She smiles. "Yes. Some species, like us Asgardians, are better able to bring it out because we have had millennia of practice. Mortals used to be able to bring it out as well, in times long passed. However, with the advent of modern technology and religion, these practices were lost. It still comes out, but you all have a tendency to call it a miracle than the talent that you all possess."

"So, you mean to tell me that all humans can use magic?"

She cocks her head to the side. "Not exactly. The ability is dormant within your blood. It comes out when there is a desperate need for it, yes, but otherwise humans never tap into it. That did not always used to be the case. Shamans and medicine men and women, religious people, they all held the secrets to using magic about a thousand or so years ago. I believe you are familiar with stories of sorcerers and witches?" I nod. "These people held the secrets to unlocking human potential. However, with the advent of major religions, these people and practices were hunted down for fear of what they could do. No one understood it was simply an ability that was in the blood that they could bring forth."

"Huh," I say. That oddly makes sense. Earth is ridden with stories and legends of people who could use magic. Merlin is a more famous example of this. Stories of fantastical feats being accomplished by seemingly ordinary humans are all over the place in ancient history. It was after Christianity got a hold on the Western world that these stories died out and became superstitious, Pagan beliefs. It is entirely possible that the people who could actively use magic were killed or went into hiding. "So, what does this mean for me?"

"It means you should be one powerful young woman with the magic of two species running through your veins."

"Great." I'm not excited about that.

"Do not worry. Anyone who starts studying and training with magic starts off exactly where you are now." She reaches over and holds my hand. "Do not be nervous. Loki and I will guide you."

I smile. "Easier said than done."

"That is very true." She leans back and takes a cursory glance at me. "Your training will certainly be interesting. With the blood of a goblin, that means your magic is naturally inclined to take shape into fire. It will take much discipline to control not only the fire, but to manipulate the magic into other forms besides that."

"Tnumer made it look easy."

"He has a few centuries of practice."

Okay, good point.

"I am also concerned how your body will handle our practice." She takes hold of my hand again, turning it so it is palm up. "Mortal bodies are known to be easy to tire compared to that of a goblin or Asgardian. So far, when you have unleashed your fire, you fall unconscious, or at least become dizzy and weary. I am not sure as of yet if that is because you have your mortal mother's physical characteristics or if it is simply lack of training and tolerance to the energy you are putting out."

"So, I am still mortal?"

She glances up and meets my eyes. "Of course. You have goblin blood in you which brings their powers into play, but your mother was still mortal. It appears you have retained all of her characteristics physically. You have none of the physical characteristics of a goblin." She pauses for a second. "However, that does explain why our medicine did not work when you were ill. A goblins metabolism is much faster than a mortal's, so your body burned through the medicine before it could actually take effect." She squeezes my hand. "It could also explain why it took you so long to fight your childhood illness."

I nod. Again, it makes sense. I don't like thinking about that time too much. I was just a little girl alone in a hospital with no family fighting a disease that left me bed-ridden for weeks. But if it wasn't for that cancer, I never would have met my dad. I wouldn't have a family. And I wouldn't be here now.

She moves her hand so it is cupping mine, both of our palms face up. Her other hand is wrapped around my wrist. "Now, bring your fire out. Only let it come out of the palm of your hand. This will help to see how well your control is. From there, I'll walk you through seeing if you can manipulate the magic on its own."

"Are you sure you should be holding my hand, then?" I ask, hesitant on actually bringing my fire out.

She simply smiles and nods. Okay. I take a calming breath and let it out slowly through my mouth. I close my eyes and try and bring my temperature to the forefront of my mind. I can feel my whole arm start to tingle. I reopen my arms to see the red glow is encompassing my entire arm. I narrow my eyes at my arm. I force the glow to head towards my hand and only my hand. It's interesting to watch is snake its way downward. I never noticed before, but the glow is only in my veins, nowhere else. Huh, it really is in my blood.

Once the red finally pools into the palm of my hand, I flex my hand and watch as the fire sparks out of it. It's small and flickers gently in the slight breeze coming in from the open balcony doors. I narrow my eyes as I feel and see the glow try to move into my fingers. It's taking the majority of my concentration to keep it only within the palm of my hand.

"Very good, Charlie," Frigga whispers, letting go of my hand. She hovers it on top of the fire, just on the edge of where it won't actually touch her. I refuse to focus too much on what she is doing, as I don't want my fire jumping around like it apparently wants to. "Now, keep concentrating on this one spot. See if you can't put the fire out, but keep the energy flowing."

Huh? I glance up to give her a confused look. "It is a sensation. It is one that cannot be adequately explained. Just try to put the fire out, but leave the fuel flowing out of your hand."

I refocus my eyes on the fire. I can feel a headache coming on. Breathing out another breath of air, I concentrate on slowly putting the fire out. I'm imagining my other hand is slowly cupping over the top of it, cutting off its air supply. That's obviously not happening, considering I can't quite find the energy to lift my other arm and that would require breaking some of my concentration, but I only need the visual. The fire slowly starts to dwindle. I can, however, feel something pushing against my invisible hand. It's odd. It's a type of force, something that I can't see. I continue with this until my imagined hand is firmly on top of my real one and the fire is completely gone. However, that force is still raging. I can feel it.

Frigga's hand immediately glows green and she pulls on the force coming out of my hand. She sends her hand flying in an arc and a green light follows her, coming directly out of my hand. My jaw hits the ground. The light flows around us for a second before fading away. She finally turns her head and smiles.

"Whoa, Charlie!" the twins say from behind me. I'm too focused on the light fading from in front of me to give them an adequate response. Oh my god.

The light finally fades and I flump back into the couch, all of my energy leaving me at once. I wipe the sweat off of my forehead. Five minutes and already I could take a nap. Frigga grabs a glass of water and hands it to me. I accept gratefully.

"Well, looks like we have another magic user in the palace," she says, smiling brightly.

The twins walk around so they are in front of the couch. "That's so cool!" Modi exclaims. "Charlie, you can actually help us with some of our projects! And you can join us when Uncle Loki is teaching us!"

Loki also comes around. He remains standing in front of me. He is smiling down at me, but I'm not going to think for one second that that smile is a congratulatory smile. He has plans. And I get the distinct feeling that I am not going to like my training with him.

Frigga stands and shoos the boys back a little. "Your lesson is not complete, boys," she reprimands, giving them a stern look. "Why don't we go over some of the basics so Charlie can observe it?" She turns back around to look at me. "Loki will start your training tomorrow." She locks her eyes on her son. "Do not push her too hard. Our number one priority is getting her to control her fire. Nothing more. Magic will come after that."

I smile. I love it when a woman goes into Mother mode. Loki simply bows his head before taking a seat beside me. We spend the rest of the morning watching the twins go over the basics of magic, complaining the entire time of how "boring" it all is. I don't know whether I should be scared or excited about tomorrow. Both. Both is probably the correct answer.

**A/N: You all should just listen to a sample of Artpop, if you haven't already. I'm not kidding. It'll give you a feel for why Loki is annoyed at it lol**


	21. Weapons Practice

**A/N: Here's another update. And I'm avoiding homework once again. Which means, this will probably be my last update for awhile. Sorry. But my textbooks call. *sigh* (A while means, like, a few days max. I can't stop writing this even if I wanted to.)**

**Enjoy and let me know what you all think! **

**Disclaimer: You guys should be getting the point by now.**

Weapons Practice

"So, why are we out here again?"

A sigh. "In case you accidentally set anything on fire, it will cause the least amount of damage. And you need to practice with that weaponry your father brought you."

I smirk. Oh yeah. Dad sent me some new toys to play with. Granted, these are not toys you want children to be around, not even a little bit. And I love the absolute disdain Loki's tone gets anytime he mentions my family. It's obvious that he hasn't quite gotten over the beating they gave him from the Battle of New York. It's his own fault that he tried attacking Earth that he got pummeled. The footage JARVIS managed to capture is absolutely hysterical.

Earlier this morning, Loki woke me up at the freaking crack of dawn, much to my disdain. He offered no explanation other than wanting to start my training as soon as possible. After getting around in a sleepy stupor (this world really needs to start importing caffeine or something), he walked me to the stables and we grabbed a couple of horses. I was given Sleipnir to ride after we both pitched a fit. Apparently I left an impression on the horse if he wanted to come with me so bad. Either way, it was a fun experience. The ride was a smooth one due to his eight legs. I was fairly surprised when Loki led me outside the city. He led me to a small plain that happens to overlook the palace. Flowers of all types litter the grass and a stream cuts through it nearly straight down the center.

If I didn't know any better, I'd say he brought me here for a romantic picnic. Yeah, I laughed too.

We are currently sitting next to the stream, my back facing it and Loki sitting in front of me. The horses are off grazing, tails swishing every once and a while. I'm having a hard time keeping my eyes from roaming around the field. I can't really blame myself: there are all different types of flowers and trees that I have never seen before. I bet Uncle Bruce would have a field day here. I am particularly fascinated with a golden flower that is sitting right next to me. It kind of reminds me of the golden flower in "Tangled." It is shaped more like a Lotus, but it's golden in color with flecks of orange and purple in the center. It's so freaking pretty.

Loki reaches over and snaps his fingers in my face, immediately grabbing my attention. "Focus, Charlotte."

"But it's so hard," I complain, glancing around the valley once again. "You take me to a place I haven't been on Asgard and don't expect me to be intrigued?"

"We are not here so you can stare at the scenery."

I cross my arms over my chest. Fine then. "Alright then, oh great and powerful Loki. What are we doing then?"

"_We_ are doing nothing," he snarks back at me. "_You_ are going to be summoning your fire to different parts of your body and holding it there so it does not spread. Understand?"

I cock my head to the side. "Yeah. But then why are you here?"

"You obviously require supervision in case you push yourself too hard and knock yourself unconscious. Again."

I roll my eyes. "Alrighty then." I decide not to argue—he is basically right. I crack my neck and settle in for a long sit.

"Just start with your hand. We'll progress from there."

I nod. I close my eyes and focus on the core temperature of my body, like I did the day before. I slowly feel it rise and I open my eyes to look at my right hand, which is lying face up on my thigh. The red glow is coursing through my hand. As I watch, the glow spreads into my other hand as well. Crap. I force all of my concentration into forcing the glow to disappear from my left hand. It does, eventually. A sweat is starting to break out across my forehead. I can't seem to set my hand on fire. I finally flex my hand and the fire springs out. I scowl at it though. Shouldn't I be able to bring it out without rubbing or moving my hand?

"Now, hold it there with that intensity for as long as you can," Loki quietly commands.

I don't grace him with a response. Keeping the fire out for this long is already making my head pound. I send out another breath of air and watch the fire flicker in the cool breeze. A couple minutes tick by. I blink rapidly as my headache gets stronger. The fire in my hand flickers wildly before suddenly growing bigger. Uh-oh. I flex my hand in an attempt to bring it back down. It only spreads to the rest of my hand so it is completely engulfed. Not good.

Loki's hand clamps around my wrist. "Do not let it grow any farther. Calm yourself."

Easier said than done. I swallow thickly and try and bring my concentration back on the fire slowly engulfing my hand. The headache that is pounding behind my eyelids is not helping. "You really should let go of me, Loki."

"I do not harm that easily. Now focus."

I clench my eyes shut. I just can't. I feel the heat of the flame start to move up my arm. Loki's hand moves farther up mine, trying to give me a place to feel where I need to get it to stop. It's really not working. I open my eyes again and the flame is up to my elbow. "Loki, let go!"

He does. The flame moves all the way up my arm. I'm holding it away from me in a mild panic. I can't get it to go down. Before I can fly into a full-blown panic, I feel a shove against my left shoulder and I go tumbling backwards into the stream, letting out a surprised shriek. I land on my back in the water, almost completely submerged. The fire goes out with a loud hiss and I pull myself out of the water, spluttering as I go. I'm finally able to pull myself into a standing position and I stare down at Loki—who is still sitting—and give him a disbelieving look. "What did you do that for?" Sleipnir, who is only a little ways off, lets out a shuttering neigh which sounds suspiciously like laughter. "Oh, shut it, you," I say, pointing my finger at him. He only swishes his tail at me.

Turning my full attention back on the stoic-faced demigod, I place my hands on my hips waiting for an answer. "You were not controlling it. Every time you lose control, you can expect to be thrown into the water to put the fire out. It also seems to help with your fatigue, meaning we can do this all day."

I glance down at the water which is up to my knees. Huh, he's right. After being dunked into the water, my headache immediately went away. And I'm not even tired, which is odd in and of itself. "How did you know water would help?" I ask, genuinely curious.

He smirks. "You may be half-goblin, but your dominant features are that of your mortal half. Mortals require water. Keep yourself hydrated and you'll be able to continue using your fire for longer periods until you build up a tolerance. Also, the colder the better."

"Why's that?"

He shrugs. "It appears that the lower temperatures counteract the heat you are giving off, balancing it out. Colder to bring your temperature back down to a normal level, and water because your body requires it."

"That's genius," I mumble, finally wading out of the water and sitting back down. "If uncomfortable," I add, wringing out the water from my hair. "What made you come up with that?"

"My mother." He shrugs. "I noticed you didn't seem as fatigued yesterday after she handed you the glass of water." The somewhat friendly look that has been on his face up until this point vanishes and he levels me a stern stare. "Now, try again."

"Already?" I ask, somewhat alarmed.

"Like I said, we can do this all day."

I groan. I hear Sleipnir give that shuttering neigh again and I whip a glare in his direction. At this rate, the horse is getting no apples from me today.

OoO

It's midday. Finally.

Loki is allowing a (brief) break from the fire and almost constant dunkings. I'm lying on my back, staring up at the cloud and star strewn sky, allowing the heat of the sun to dry me off. Even if he has found a loophole with my exhaustion, doesn't mean that I'm not worn out already. And I have a whole afternoon of this crap too. Ugh. I want to train with Frigga now. I doubt she is this ruthless.

Then again, he learned it from someone. And I would bet everything I own it was from Frigga.

Sleipnir wanders over to me and gently nudges my head. I lift a hand to caress the side of his head. "You must be bored out of your mind, buddy. Why don't you go run for a bit?"

He leans down and gently bites on the collar of my shirt. He pulls his head back up, which of course pulls me up with him. He pulls enough that I have to get into a standing position. "Okay, okay, I'm up. Did you want me to come with you?"

He swishes his tail, which I have now interpreted as his version of no. After finally letting go of my collar, he nuzzles me a again. I smile and pet him for a bit. Eventually, he walks away, heading towards the center of the plain. I cock my head, watching him walk away. He walks to the center of the plain and starts munching on the grass and flowers again. "Okay, weird horse."

"Are you taking commands from a horse now?"

I turn and pin Loki with an annoyed stare. "Of course not. And _you_ should not be the one asking me that."

"Why is that?"

"I could tell you stories about that horse that would probably make your hair curl." I smile. "Or at least make you cringe."

He pins me with a suspicious stare. I simply shrug and sit back down. I really am not going to tell him any of that, unless he really annoys me. I think Sleipnir just wanted to bug me is all. Or at least grab my attention. I don't think he gets enough attention from the way he constantly nudges me or distracts me. I'm glad I was able to bring him out of the stables and let him run for a bit. Even animals can get cabin fever.

Loki takes a seat beside me and hands me an apple. I swear to god, the only reason why I eat regularly anymore is because of him. I give him a grateful smile before biting into it. I didn't realize how hungry I was until now. "So," I start. I think we are long overdue for a certain discussion topic. "I think it's about time we talk about something."

He glances at me from the corner of his eye. "And that would be?"

I smile. "Hello, Jotun Man. Long time no see."

He rolls his eyes and shakes his head. I must cause this man a high level of exasperation the majority of the time.

I just continue munching on the apple, waiting for him to say something. The silence stretches on for a moment. I finish my apple and set the core next me. At this point, I doubt he's going to say anything. Okay, I'll start then. "What was that all about anyway?"

"An interesting experiment."

"An experiment?"

"Our first encounter was nothing more than an accident. The ones after that were not." He shrugs. "I found it curious how you were not fearful of my true form when most are."

"There's hardly anything to be fearful of," I mumble, rolling my eyes. "And besides, I would hardly call that your true form. It's just another side of you, right? It comes out when you use your Frost Giant powers."

He finally meets my gaze. He nods, letting me know I'm correct in my assumption. See, I can be smart sometimes. "You may not be afraid, but others are. I have become accustomed to the wary glances I receive within the palace, and they have not seen my other side."

I shrug. "That's how people treat my Uncle Bruce. Everyone knows what he can become and anyone in their right mind would be afraid of the Hulk. But people transfer that fear of the Hulk over onto him. I never understood that." I shake my head. "The Hulk and Bruce are two different beings. However, Uncle Bruce has learned to control the Hulk to a certain extent. Uncle Bruce doesn't deserve the fear and caution people give him." I lower my head and sigh. "Uncle Thor told me about your parentage. Yes, I feel wary about the Jotun's but only because of what they tried to do to my planet a thousand years ago. I don't see a reason to transfer that fear and anger to you as you weren't there." I shrug again and glance back up at him. "It seems silly to place a fear of an event onto one man. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

He nods. "I do."

"Good." I let the silence stretch for a moment before turning my body and punching him in the shoulder. His body rocks to the side a little bit. I get nothing but an affronted look. "That was for lying to me about it."

"I would hardly call that lying."

"You could have just as easily come to me and asked." I cross my arms across my chest. "But, no, you just had to keep your identity to yourself and make me believe the Jotun Man was my friend." I pin with a glare. "And withholding information is as good as lying. Ask anyone."

He shakes his head at me. "I did not at any time say I was not myself. It is hardly my fault you did not pick up on the subtleties."

I roll my eyes. He would talk about subtleties. It's really not my fault that I didn't notice. It's not like I was paying that much attention and nobody in their right mind would ever say I am that observant. After all, I didn't catch on until he changed right in front of me. Not to mention, his Jotun look and his normal look are two very different looks. And yes, blue skin can really throw me off that much.

He turns away to watch the horses. Sleipnir is running in the distance, neighing happily. "And the Jotun Man is still your friend, if you wish him to be," Loki murmurs.

I smile. "I do wish him to be." I glance at him from the corner of my eye. He continues watching the horses, not acknowledging me or the current change of conversation. I shake my head slightly. Ours is an odd friendship, that's for damn sure.

After a few minutes of quiet—and me taking the time to better appreciate the scenery—Loki stands up and looks down at me. "I think you have gotten enough rest. We should continue your practice."

I groan. I haven't even gotten dry yet! He holds his hand out to me and I reluctantly take it. This is going to be a long afternoon.

OoO

I pull myself out of the stream, yet again. I am seriously exhausted and I really don't want to do this anymore. And I don't feel like I'm making any progress. Granted, it's taking longer for Loki to push me into the water, but it's still happening. I'm frustrated and tired and sore and I quit. I flop myself down in front of Loki and immediately fall onto my back to stare at the sky. The light is starting to fade away. We have literally been out here all day. How am I not passed out yet?

He looks down at me. "Quitting so soon?"

"Yes. And there's nothing you can say or do to change my mind."

He shakes his head and stands up. I close my eyes as he walks away. I vaguely wonder where he's walking off to, but it drifts away as my exhausted mind starts to drift. I am mindlessly floating in the stars when a sudden weight drops onto my stomach, knocking the air out of me and immediately landing myself back into reality. I look down and see the black duffle that my Dad sent back with Uncle Thor. Loki is standing next to me, eyebrow raised. "Practice with those. When you are done, we can go back."

"Can't I just sleep now and then practice?"

"No."

I sigh and sit up. Fine. I pull out some of the round objects and the letter that came with it. I open the letter and read it:

Hey Charlie,

So, Thor told us everything that happened. It took all of my ability to prevent your Pops from commanding you home. While I completely understand how he feels, you are safer on Asgard than here. With your lovely ex still on the loose, I would rather you were surrounded by Asgardians and as far from Earth as we can get you.

In the duffel is some of the new tech I've been working on. Make sure to practice with only a couple, as I have packed all that I have made so far. They are voice activated grenades. To use them, just pull the pin, throw, and give the command word. I've programmed them to respond to "Boom." Creative, right? I've made it so that they will only explode if you or Thor gives the command, that way they can't fall into enemy hands.

Thor also informed of us everything you have found out about your parents. Hang in there, girl. I know you're freaking out about this, but don't. I'm going to look into finding out who your mother was on our end, see what my tech can't dig up. I'll get answers for what happened.

As much as I hate saying it, I'm glad to hear Loki has been keeping you safe (even though he completely failed when you were taken). Keep your guard up and keep yourself safe.

Love you.

I pull out two of the round, black objects and take a closer look at them. They're smooth and the pin he mentioned is at the very top, just like with a normal grenade. Otherwise, they're fairly unremarkable. There's no reason to believe that they are bombs of any type, which is good if I end up taking them into a battle. Everyone will basically ignore them.

I stand up and whistle at the horses. They both come trotting over. "Loki, can you make sure the horses don't bolt or get in the way? I don't want to accidentally hit them because they felt the need to wander off."

He nods, grabbing onto their reigns and pulling them aside. I pull the pin of the first one. I wonder if that pin is nothing more than a safety? I toss it some distance away and allow it to hit the ground. I sit quietly for a few minutes, waiting to see if it will detonate. It never does. "Boom," I yell. A blinding explosion rips through the field. I turn my body away from it, shielding my eyes and head with my arms from the heat thrown from the bomb. Once the light dies down, I face the field to see the damage. A giant hole is left in the ground where the explosion ripped through it. "Whoa," I whisper out. "Way to go, Dad." The pin must be a safety, preventing them from detonating when I give the command. I'm okay with that, especially considering we would be dead right now if there wasn't a safety.

I turn around to get a glimpse over to Loki and the horses. The animals seem to be quite calm, even with an explosion going off. Loki just looks mildly impressed. Yeah, these could definitely come in handy. I turn back around and unpin the second one. I wonder if I can just whisper the command? I throw it as far away from me as I can and whisper out, "Boom." The explosion rockets through the air, sending wind and heat in all directions and incinerating the field below it. Oh yeah, these could definitely come in handy. If I could close enough, I could sneak a bomb onto someone, walk away, and just whisper the command and boom.

My Dad really outdid himself this time.

I turn and zip the duffel bag back up. I'm going to shove this into the back of my closet where no one can get at it. I know my dad said that he programmed them to respond to only mine and Uncle Thor's voice, but I would rather be safe with these. Anything could happen. Especially with two young boys who like to run around and set up pranks all over the place.

I stand back up and swing the duffel onto my back. "Now can we go?"

OoO

I slowly open my eyes and stare around the darkened room. I don't know what it was that woke me up, but once I figure out what it was, it will die. This is the first night I haven't had a nightmare in a couple of weeks and I was having a dandy time just sleeping for once. I pull myself onto my knees and look around the room. The fire has dwindled down to just burning embers. A slight breeze is coming in from the open balcony doors, making the sheer curtains billow into the room. The stars are shining brightly, as always, but nothing seems to be out of place. Then what the hell woke me up?

I rub my eyes and yawn. I debate on just forgetting about it and going back to sleep. Suddenly I hear a groan roll through the room. I lower my hands and glance over to Loki's bed. To be perfectly honest, I thought sleeping in the same room with him would be awkward and difficult. I was fully expecting to not be able to sleep out of a paranoid sense of self-preservation. But, that is not the case. Once we got back to the palace today, I ate, then bathed, changed, and fell face first into my bed. I was out not even two seconds later. It's like I don't even care if he's in the room anymore.

That was a very quick adjustment on my part.

I keep my eyes on that shadowy part of the room. I can't see him from here, and I am tired, but I'm sure I did not hallucinate that sound. I see his silhouette shift restlessly. Maybe he's awake? "Loki?" I whisper, trying to see if he's actually awake. I don't get a verbal response. I shrug and lie back down. It's probably nothing.

He groans again. I sit up. That was a pained groan, not just someone settling and shifting. Something is up. I slowly crawl out of my bed and head over to his section of the room, trying to move as quietly as possible. He slowly comes into focus. His back is turned to me, but he's curled into what can only be described as a fetal position. He gives out another pained groan and I know that he needs to be wakened. I know what the signs are of nightmares. Not only have I had to deal with my own, but I have been around when my family have had nightmares.

I take a seat on the edge of his bed and grip his shoulder. Shaking it, I quietly call his name, trying to get him to wake up. I try to stay quiet only because if his dreams are as violent as my family's can get, then I know his waking could be just as violent. I have plenty of experience of dodging random objects-turned-missiles and mild panic attacks. I just wish I could see his face so I know when he wakes up.

"Loki, wake up," I call, continuing to shake his shoulder. I don't know what it is, but something changed. I get the distinct sensation that he's awake, so I stop shaking his shoulder. I leave my hand there though. I try to lean over him to see if he is in fact awake.

Before I can move, his hand grips my wrist and flips me over him. I give out a surprised shriek. I land on my back with him straddling me and pressing a knife to my throat, keeping my hand pinned beside my head. I still. I stare up into his wild eyes and relax, trying to make myself as unthreatening as possible. "Loki?" I call, trying to bring him back to the here-and-now. "It's me."

He blinks and it's like I can see the nightmare finally leave his eyes. His eyes widen, realizing who he is currently pinning to his bed. "Charlie," he whispers out.

I give a lopsided-grin. "Welcome back."

He finally tosses the knife away from me. Where the hell was he keeping that anyway? He moves off of me to sit next to me, one knee propped up. He buries his face in his hands. I sit up. I would ask if he's okay, but that's a redundant question. I just sit there, waiting for him to move or say something. I don't touch him either. I have no idea what might set him off, so it's better to wait for him to take the lead.

I hear him sigh and he finally lowers his hands. "I apologize, Charlie. I do not always sleep well."

No shit. Join the club. I shake my head. "Don't worry about it. You already know that I don't sleep well ever."

He shakes his head at me. "Why did you not fight back?"

I shrug. "You were still in dreamland. Seems kind of mean to fight someone who isn't completely aware of what is going on. Besides, I knew you wouldn't hurt me."

"You couldn't have possibly known that."

I shrug again. "I trust you, Loki."

He just stares at me. I don't blame him. I don't take back what I said. I mean it. I actually do trust him. I've trusted him with some of the most horrendous events of my past, allowed him to see me at my lowest point, and trusted him to save me when I needed it. I trust the man sitting next to me not to kill me, even if he's lost in a nightmare.

Wonder when that happened?

"Do you want to talk about it?" I ask, changing the subject back to him.

He tears his eyes away from me. "No."

I nod. "Okay." I pull myself out of his bed and make my way back to mine. "If you ever do want to talk about it, I'm right over here." I climb back in and lay down, my head still lightly propped up from the pillows.

"Why would you want to hear about my nightmares?" he questions.

I shrug. "It's not about wanting to hear them. It's just about letting you vent if you need to." I give him a pointed stare. "Out of probably everyone in this palace, I understand what having nightmares means. Something is still haunting you and sometimes it just helps getting it out. You did that for me when I needed it. It's the least I could do for you."

"I'll keep that in mind," he mumbles, lying back down as well.

I roll my eyes. He's not going to tell me anything. At least not tonight. That's fine. I honestly haven't told him the full story of my past either. But my offer is still there.

"Thank you, Charlie, for waking me."

I smile. "You're welcome, Loki."


	22. Separation

**A/N: Guess who has the day off school? The only good thing about living in Michigan is that when the temps get below -25 degrees F, they cancel school. Hell yes. So, I'm writing because I can. :D Anyway, here's the next chapter and enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of money making ability**

Separation

Why can't the palace have a nice convenient, cold stream cutting through it?

Loki and I are in a large abandoned hall. It's easier to practice shooting fire in different directions in a place where it is almost guaranteed I won't hit someone or something flammable by accident. After practicing my control for the morning, I was able to get it so it no longer spreads in every which direction when I get tired. I've learned that when I start getting a bad headache to just simply draw the fire back into me before it spreads any farther than my hand, since that is when my control completely slips. Ever since midday, Loki thought it would be a good idea if I try and shoot it away from me, like he can do with his ice. After many failed attempts that included me setting the ends of his coat on fire, I'm managing to be somewhat successful.

Loki managed to have a few barrels of water brought in. I've gone through two of them. It's taking all of my ability not to swan dive into the last one. While drinking water is certainly helpful, it's not enough. The water isn't nearly as cold as the stream, and I'm starting to think it was the cold that helped more than anything else. It's about mid-afternoon now and I'm standing in front of a metal target, hand pointed towards it. I feel my Dad in this Iron Man suit. There is a sheen of sweat all over me, making my clothes stick uncomfortably. This is better than any workout for making me sweat. I'm trying to concentrate on visualizing the fire shooting out of my hand and towards the target. So far, I have managed to hit every which direction around the target, leaving deep scorch marks along the stone walls, but not the actual target.

Accuracy is not my strong suit, apparently.

I feel the heat travel down my arm and start to build up in the palm of my hand. I narrow my eyes at the target. I _will_ hit it this time. The pressure builds before I finally flex my hand and the stream of flames shoots out. I immediately cut it off so I don't have a flaming river of fire jutting out of my body. The ball of fire lands directly on the target. "YES!" I shout, lifting my arms above my head. After that, I immediately collapse to the floor.

Panting, I close my eyes and listen as Loki walks over. "About time," he mumbles. If I had the energy, I would flip him off. This is freaking hard. It took me all afternoon to hit that target and I'm taking my small victory. I sit up so I can cradle my head in my hands. I wonder if I will ever get used to this? That barrel is starting to really look inviting.

Something really cold touches the side of my neck, making me jump. I immediately relax and sigh in relief though, clasping my own hand around it and pressing it more firmly against my skin. Oh, that feels good. Loki is sitting behind me, a blue hand resting on my neck. He reaches around me and hands me a glass of water. Once I have hold of it, he rests his other hand on my forehead. I'm surprised there isn't steam rising up from where we are connected, considering how hot I feel. He gently pulls me back so my back is resting against his chest armor. "You have done well for today. Just rest."

He doesn't have to tell me twice. I lean my head so it's resting against his shoulder and allow the cold to soothe my headache away. I suddenly get a flash of memory as this feels a little too familiar. "You really did visit me when I was sick, didn't you? As Jotun Man."

"You remember that?"

I shake my head. "Not really. I thought I dreamed it, to be perfectly honest."

I see him nod out of the corner of my eye. "Mother asked me to come. She was concerned about your temperature. It was well over what it should have been and she was worried your brain would fry. I came every night to help keep your temperature down."

"Oh," I mumble. "She never told me it was that bad."

"She would not. She would think there was no need to worry you over something that did not happen."

I nod and close my eyes tiredly. That means my temperature had to have been around 106 degrees if not higher. I've always had a high temperature, ranging anywhere between the normal 98.6 degrees to 101 degrees, depending on the day and my emotions. Well, and time of the month, but that's beside the point. My parents used to call the doctor all the time out of fear of me being sick again until finally the doctor told them it was just normal for me. I think he said that because he couldn't come up with a logical reason for why I would have a fever but no other sign of illness. Now I know it's because of the fire in my veins that allows me to have a much higher body temperature than normal. I have no idea what the danger range is for me now, so I'm glad that Frigga kept such a good eye on me. And to Loki for being willing to spend his nights keeping my temperature down. "Thank you for that," I finally manage to say.

He doesn't respond.

A few minutes pass by and my heart rate is slowly falling back to a normal pace. Loki moves his hand to the other side of my neck, his arm resting across my chest. "You know, Loki," I start, finally releasing some of my thoughts, "none of this is going to matter on the battlefield. I can't use my fire in the middle of a fight if I am reduced to this mess after a few minutes."

"You are underestimating your own abilities, Charlie."

I turn my head to give him a dubious stare. His red eyes simply stare back at me. I sigh. "Care to explain what I'm missing?"

He nods his head towards the scorched target. "You managed to get through this entire afternoon practicing throwing fire and only needing two water breaks. You went this entire day without needing cold to balance out your heat. Believe it or not, but your tolerance is already improving greatly."

I sigh. He is right, but… "Loki, I still need water and cold. And even if I manage to build up my tolerance, I am going to continue needing water when I use my fire. I dehydrate so fast. And I'm not going to delude myself into believing that this fight is over. We've had a few days of peace, but I know a battle is coming soon."

He rolls his eyes. "Then I guess you are just going to have to stay by my side." He smiles. "If you can manage that, that is."

I stick my tongue out at him. Honestly, I fib one time and he can't let me live it down.

The door on the other side of the hall opens. I turn my head to watch as the guard enters and heads over to us. Loki removes his hands (with a mental groan on my part) and stands up. As I watch, the blue slowly fades, leaving his skin its usual shining porcelain. That's a transformation that's fun to watch. I stay sitting, deciding to let Loki handle this. The guard stops halfway into the room, which is still 20 feet away from us. It's only now that I realize he is being awfully cautious, giving us both wary looks. I narrow my eyes at him. Rude.

"King Odin wishes for your council," he finally announces, looking only at Loki. I can't tell who is making him more nervous, me or Loki?

Loki nods and the guard promptly turns heel and leaves. "Well, he was a bit rude," I mutter once the door is finally shut.

Loki looks down at me with a small smile. He holds out his hand to me and pulls me up. "I'll escort you to my mother and then go see what Odin requires of me."

I nod and we make the short trip back to the personal wing. I quickly make us stop in my room so I can at least change into something clean. I wear a casual turquoise dress, deciding that I have had enough training for one day. Actually, I've had enough training for a whole week, but I know better than to believe I'm done. Loki and I walk into the twins' room, where they are currently having lessons with the queen and Aunt Jane. Both of the women turn and greet us, the twins running over to give us both hugs. I smile down at them. I'm glad they're not treating me any different since the news of what I am broke out. I don't think I would be able to handle it if they were suddenly fearful of me, like everyone else in the palace seems to be.

"Hey, Charlie," Magni says, handing me a book, "I was wondering if you could read us the stories in here."

"Yeah," Modi adds "We tried to read it ourselves, but we're a little confused."

"What's there to be confused about?" I question, turning the book over and reading the title. Oh. Well, shit.

"It talks about everyone here," Magni answers, cocking his head to the side cutely.

Double shit. This is a copy of Padraic Collum's "Children of Odin." It's basically a book that tells some of the Norse myths in story format, making it easier to read and understand than the Edda's. The boys must have nabbed this from my desk. What were they doing in my desk? Mental note: avoid desk until able to figure out what they did to it. Anyway, I tend to drag this book along with me as a refresher on some of the stories. Plus, it's just fun to read.

"How far did you two get?"

Loki is looking at the book over my shoulder. I do my best to keep it out of his reach. He probably would want to destroy this book if he read it.

"Just the first chapter, about Uncle Loki and a horse."

"A horse?" Loki questions, staring at me.

If I could sweat drop right now like in an anime, I would. I just smile nervously and usher the boys away. "I'll explain it all later boys. Don't you need to go see Odin, Loki?" I smile sweetly at him, praying he will take the bait.

He glares at me suspiciously. "Yes." He glances over to Frigga. "I need to go see what father wants. I will be back to collect her later."

"You make it sound like I'm some wayward child," I grumble, placing my hands on my hips.

"Some would say that you are." He turns to walk out the door. "We'll discuss what is in that book when I return." The door shuts behind his retreating back.

"Heh," I laugh, rubbing the back of my neck. Oh that is so not going to be fun. Then again, it could be really funny depending on his reaction. I turn back around to face the room. Aunt Jane is smiling at me in amusement and Frigga is giving me an expectant look. I narrow my eyes at Aunt Jane. "You know what this book is. Why didn't you explain it to them?"

She shrugs. "It's your book."

I sigh. Whoever says Aunt Jane doesn't have a trickster in her is a liar. I would bet anything that she knew the boys would ask about it in front of Loki. She knows what the first story is, considering she was the one who gave it to me. I turn to the boys and hold up the book. "You boys know that Earth has many stories regarding Asgard and the people that reside here, right?" They nod. "Well, a lot of these stories are very fantastic and very fictional. They are just like the Greek myths I have told you about." I walk over to them all and take a seat in the remaining couch. The boys sit on the floor in front of me.

"Oh, so Uncle Loki didn't turn into a mare to distract another horse to ruin a deal?" Modi questions. He looks a little confused.

Oh it's taking all of my ability not to start snickering. As it stands, Aunt Jane is actually covering her mouth and shaking with laughter. Frigga is smiling as well. I'm sure she has been informed of the story and what became of that particular incident in the myth. They are so hanging my out to dry here. "No," I finally manage to choke out. "At least not to my knowledge anyway."

"Okay," they both say.

"That makes sense," Modi acknowledges, glancing up to the ceiling. "Uncle Loki can't turn into a horse anyway."

I certainly hope not.

"Are there any stories about Dad in there?" Magni asks, propping his elbows on my knees.

"Or Grandfather? What about Heimdall? Or Lady Sif?" Modi adds.

"Okay, okay," I laugh, waving them down. "I'll read you a few stories, how about that?" They nod happily. I glance up at Aunt Jane and Lady Frigga. "Is that okay?" I ask.

Aunt Jane nods. "I would very much like to hear these tales," Frigga says, smiling.

I sigh and open the book. This is going to be very interesting.

OoO

It's late and the boys are completely knocked out. Magni is sleeping on my lap, mouth wide open. Modi is still on the floor, spread-eagle. Frigga, Aunt Jane, and I are still discussing the stories in the book. Frigga can't get over how almost all of the stories are about how Loki screwed something up. She thinks it's hysterical. Aunt Jane and I are filling her in on all of the discrepancies that the book leaves out. It was written mainly for children, so it leaves out key details, like how Loki gave birth to a horse, fathered a giant snake, and the ruler of the underworld, among other things. We are having a grand time.

"You world comes up with the strangest of tales," Frigga laughs. "And I thought those Greek ones you were telling the twins were odd."

I smile. "Well if you think _this_ is weird, I should tell you some Celtic ones. Earth is riddled with odd and strange and downright terrifying stories." I glance back down at the book. "And this is only the tip of the iceberg for Norse mythology."

"There is more?"

I smile. "Oh yes."

Before I can delve into it, the door creaks open. We all turn to see Loki walking through the door. Frigga stands. "That was a long meeting. What did your father need?"

"My particular brand of expertise," he responds. He looks over to me. "Charlie, I need to speak to you for a moment."

I nod. "I should probably head back to our room anyway and let these knuckleheads sleep." I glance down at Magni. He's starting to drool. I smile and pick him up, depositing him on the now purple bed. This room changes colors almost every day depending on which twin is opening the door. Right now it's purple and red. Aunt Jane picks up Modi off the floor and transfers him to the red bed. We all walk out the door and head to our different rooms after exchanging good nights. When we are back in our room, I turn to look at Loki. "So, what's up?"

He eyes the book in my hands. "First, where did they get that book again?"

I grin. "My desk."

He walks over to my desk and quietly inspects it. I set the book down on the trunk at the end of my bed and take a seat, watching him move around it. I grin. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who has learned to be cautious when it comes to those two brats. He ducks down and inspects under the desk. A few minutes pass and he reemerges with a white, cylindrical thing in his hand with a red horn on top. I stare at it in confusion.

"Where did they get their hands on a bull horn?" I ask, standing up and walking over to him.

He hands me a slip of paper. "This was attached to it."

I grab it and read the scrawled message on it: _Surprise! I hope you didn't die, Charlie. Love, Dad._ I narrow my eyes at it. He's worlds away and yet he is still trying to prank me? And teaming up with the twins to do it? Oh, he is so going to pay for that somehow. I shake my head and crumple it up before grabbing the horn from Loki. I should probably hide this before he gets any ideas too. I place it on top of the book and sit back down on the bed, leaning against one of the wooden poles. "So, what happened? What did Odin want?"

"He required my council."

I roll my eyes. "I figured as much. But what about?"

"On how to infiltrate the goblin ranks to get information on their plans."

I raise my eyebrows in surprise. "Okay. I take it that the war council has no idea what is going on?"

He shakes his head. "It appears that King Tnumer and his family is using a form of magic to prevent Heimdall from seeing them. Without his sight, there is no way for us to learn when their next attack can be. Odin also appears to be wary about you."

"What about me?"

"King Tnumer can come whenever he wishes to retrieve you. If he knows you are alive."

"And we still don't know if he knows that, right?"

He nods. I think over this for a moment. Well, there is only one logical thing that can be done. "Someone would need to infiltrate the goblin ranks in order for us to learn anything of value. But, you can't use the bifrost because that would be a dead giveaway and it would need someone who can actually pass as a goblin. Can we do that somehow?"

He smiles. "No, we cannot. But I can."

My eyes widen. "What?"

"I am the only one who has knowledge of how to move between the realms without using the bifrost. Logically, I am the only choice."

I blink a few times. "So, you're leaving?"

"I will be staying the rest of the night to guard you, but yes, I will be leaving in the morning."

I turn my head to look out the window and the stars shining in the dark. Thinking about it, it makes sense. I already know he can disguise his appearance to look like anyone, which is exactly what you need in this type of mission. And if he can jump between the realms like he says, then he is the only candidate for Asgard to get a better idea of what's going on. But…

"You're my guard," I mumble out. I glance back at him. He can't just leave me here unguarded. Okay, I'm being totally selfish, but everyone made it seem so important that I was kept safe. Odin ordered him to move in with me! Now, he's sending him away? I don't understand.

Loki must understand what's going through my head because his eyes soften and he walks to stand right in front of me. "You will be assigned a new guard in my absence. I should only be gone a few days."

"Oh, that's going to go well," I reply sarcastically. "Most of the guards are obviously terrified that I will spontaneously combust in a fiery explosion if their demeanor is anything to go by."

He smirks. "It does not mean this new guard will not keep you safe. He is under oath and will face my wrath if you so much as get hurt while I'm gone."

I smile. That should be a very terrifying threat to whoever is taking over. I think about his mission for a second. "Wait, are you going into this alone?"

His smile fades. "Yes."

"You're kidding. You can't go into this alone! What if you get caught, or get hurt? I may not be the smartest when it comes to planning, but even I know you shouldn't do an infiltration alone." Is Odin nuts? Can't he send Sif or Uncle Thor with him?

Loki shakes his head. "There is no one else who can disguise themselves like I can. And I cannot hold two disguises in place for long periods of time. It is better if I go alone so as not to risk the mission."

I deflate and stare at the floor. He still shouldn't go alone. Loki grabs my chin gently and raises it back up so he can meet my eyes. "I've done many more dangerous things than this mission. I will be fine, Charlie." He releases my chin and crosses his arms across his chest.

"You better be," I retaliate. "If you come back with so much as a scratch—"

"You'll what?" he interrupts, a smile stretching across his face.

"I'll hit you with a blast of my fire." I cross my arms too, trying to look a little more intimidating. Kind of hard when I'm sitting in a dress and he's standing in front of me in his usual black armor.

"Oooh, I'm scared."

"You should be." I smile too finally. This entire conversation is ridiculous. I roll my eyes and stand up. "I do mean it though. You get hurt and I'll be stuck with a lame guard for lord knows how long while you recover."

"I will keep that in mind." He gives me a mocking bow.

I shake my head and walk into my closet. It's late and I want to go to bed. I pull on some sweat pants and a tank top and climb into bed. Loki is reclining in one of the couches, reading. I don't ever see him go to bed. He usually goes to bed after I fall asleep. I've just learned not to bother waiting for him. However, it is taking me an unusual amount of time to fall asleep tonight, even with my rough training. I should be out for the count.

My mind keeps going back to his mission. If it's successful, we should learn about not only what the goblin's plans are, but maybe where this infinity stone is, and if Tnumer knows if I'm alive or not. If it fails, Loki could die. The only way I can think of him failing is if he is found out. We all have to rely on his ability to hold an illusion for multiple days and for him to not only get to that realm in one piece, but then to get back to Asgard with no one noticing. And he gets no back-up. How is that even fair? Aunt 'Tasha and Uncle Clint always told me that it was important on missions to have a back-up, if only to have someone watch your back while you kick some ass. And because Heimdall can't see what's going on in that realm, if Loki gets in trouble we can't help him.

I am worrying and I don't know why and I can't stop.

I groan and flip onto my other side. At this rate, I won't be getting much sleep tonight. My mind keeps going over worse case scenarios, ranging from Loki dying, to being tortured, to me getting kidnapped and dragged to the goblin world because my new guard is an incompetent fool or something. And I thought my nightmares were bad.

I feel the edge of my bed dip and I open my eyes. Loki is leaning over me, an exasperated look on his face. He places his hand on my forehead. "Stop worrying and sleep."

My eyes droop at his command. "Easier said than…." My eyes fall completely shut and I drift into the stars.

OoO

My eyes fly open in the morning. The sun is shining and I sit up in bed, blinking at the room. That jerk, he made me fall asleep! I yawn widely. I am so going to hit him. I flop back down onto my side. As soon as I am able to find the energy to move. My eyes drift shut, listening to the waves of the ocean outside. Maybe today I can have the day off from training? It would be nice to just sit and read for once. Or crochet. I haven't been able to do that in a while. I also need to finish that book for the twins.

Wasn't there something going on today?

My eyes fly open. Loki. He's leaving this morning. I sit up and scan the room, looking for the tall man. Before I can fly out of my bed to look for him outside, he comes strolling out of his closet, adjusting one of his arm bracers. He pauses once he notices I'm up. We just blink at each other for a couple moments. I really wish there was coffee here.

He crosses his arms. "Are you just going to sit there or are you going to get around?"

"Aren't you leaving?" I ask, ignoring his question. See? I need coffee. I can't seem to focus.

"As soon as your new guard arrives."

"Oh." I glance around my room again. "When will that be?"

"Any minute."

I nod. Right. Bath first. I climb out of my bed and walk into my closet. I grab the first objects I find—jeans and a Rolling Stones t-shirt—and make my way to my bathroom. About fifteen minutes later, I walk out, towel drying my hair. I feel a little bit more awake, but not by much. Ugh, I hate mornings.

I flop down on the couch next to Loki and stare into the low fire blankly. He closes the book he was reading. "About that book from last night," he starts, "what exactly were the boys talking about in regards to me?"

Well, I'm fully awake now. Without lifting my head, I glance over at him. He is also looking at the fire, but I know fully well that all of his attention is on me. Damn.

I sigh. "Okay, first off: don't kill the messenger. Second, it's just a story and a myth, that revolves around you and your family. So don't freak out." He turns his head to look at me. He looks curious. "It is the story of how Sleipnir came into being," I continue, lifting my head up fully.

"He was born," Loki says, deadpan. "I do not see why that requires a story."

I smirk, but try really hard to wipe it off my face. "In Norse mythology, Sleipnir is one of the fastest and greatest horses there is. That's why it's important. I'm going to give you a condensed version of the story: When the gods first settled and created Asgard, a Giant disguised as a man came to them with the claim that he could build them an impenetrable wall within three years. When asked what his price would be, he asked for the Sun, the Moon, and Freya, a goddess. The gods agreed, as long as he had no help from another man. So, instead, the giant used his horse, Svaldifari to aide him."

"Svaldifari?" Loki questions. I nod. "That is Sleipnir's father."

"Awesome," I whisper, trying not to start giggling. "Anyway, three years pass and the wall is built. Two days before the final year is up, the god's convene, worried about their deal. They did not believe the Giant disguised as a man would actually be able to accomplish his deed and they did not want to give up what they had promised as it would destroy the worlds." I pause, trying to find a way to phrase this. This is going to be weird. "The myth version of you promises to make it so that the builder will fail in his attempt.

"The next day, the builder sets Svaldifari to go and pull the last of the stones into position on the wall. Leaving his horse to the task, the builder goes down to Midgard to enjoy a drink and boast about his accomplishment and the gifts that he was sure to receive. Svaldifari, meanwhile, becomes distracted by a pretty mare that just so happens to cross his path. The mare whispers pretty words into his ear and convinces Svaldifari to abandon his work and leave with her so he can run and do… other… things.

"The day ends and the wall is not complete. When the giant returns, fully expecting to be handed the Sun, the Moon, and Freya, he is instead made a laughing stock by the gods. He returns to Jotunheim, the land of the Giants, in disgrace. And that is the story of how Sleipnir was born."

I let the silence hang between us. Loki looks vaguely confused. I know I wasn't too clear on the main part of that story, but I want to see if he can pull the pieces together. He sits back and looks back into the fire. "Well, obviously the unnamed mare gave birth to Sleipnir," he finally says.

"Uh huh."

"But I do not see how the myth-Loki had anything to do with it, unless he set the mare on Svaldifari's path." He trails off, thinking about it some more.

"Not exactly, dear." He looks over at me. "Loki was a little bit more direct in his involvement."

As I stare, I can see the light bulb go off. I purse my lips together in an effort to not start laughing. His face contorts into one of disgust. "You mean to say that this myth says I fathered—"

"Oh, no," I interrupt. "The myth says you gave birth. You were the mother."

His mouth drops open slightly. I think I broke him. I cover my mouth as the giggles finally start to pour out. He remains silent for a few minutes while I try to get control over my mirth. He stands up suddenly. "Where is this book? It must be destroyed." He starts walking towards my bed where I left it last night.

I bound up and chase him down. I latch myself onto his arm in a futile attempt to slow him down. "You hurt that book and I'll hurt you!" Another laugh escapes me. "Besides, this is an age-old myth. You can't destroy collective knowledge."

"I can start somewhere," he growls out.

I giggle again, pulling on his arm. "Aunt Jane gave me that book. Don't hurt it!"

Before he is able to respond, there is a knock on my door. We both freeze and stare at the door. "That must be your new guard", he mutters.

I detach myself from him and straighten my clothing a little. Well, I guess this is it. I walk over to the door and open it. "Come on in," I welcome. He nods and enters my room. Loki and him exchange nods as well. "What's your name?" I ask.

"Heithrick," he says with a deep voice. He stands stoic and tall. He also doesn't meet my eyes and moves no further into the room, staying close to the doorway.

"Nice to meet you, Heithrick." I'm going to try to be at least civil to him. We're stuck with each other for the next few days, so I might as well try to get along with him. Well, if he allows me to get along with him anyway.

I walk back over to Loki. "I guess this is good-bye for now," I mutter, eyes on the ground. I really don't want him to go now. I have a feeling this is going to be a very hard few days. I don't want to worry about him.

He lifts my chin back up. "Keep practicing your fire. Don't try to send it off, just work on your control. My mother will help you. And stay by your guard. Do you understand?"

I roll my eyes. "Yes, sir."

"Good."

Before he can try and walk off, I give him a hug. "Keep yourself safe, please," I whisper into his ear. "I would much rather have you return to your post in a few days than stay with this stuck-in-the-mud for a long time."

I let him go to see him smirking down at me. He doesn't promise anything, just nods. I watch him as he walks toward the door. I follow after a few seconds. I watch his retreating back down the hall. "And try not to kill anyone!" I yell after him.

He turns and walks backwards down the hallway. "But that's hardly any fun."

I roll my eyes in response and he turns back around. Shaking my head, I reenter my room. I glance at the still guard. "So, what's up?"

**A/N: By the way, that book? It's real. It was the first book I read when I got interested in Norse mythology. It's free on iBooks if anyone is interested. Also, but I'm only four reviews away from 100 reviews! So please review? (I'm sorry, that was peer pressure, I didn't mean it... *puppy eyes*)**


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